Of Wine and Blood
by Hayai-hakai
Summary: VincentxTifa, Implied CloudxAeris. Going through the story from Tifa and Vincent's points of view starting at Nibelheim, with Aeris and Cloud acting more flirty than in the game, will have one BIG change in the story line later but I don't want to spoil a
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: If I owned Final Fantasy 7 I would be rich and Vincent would have had his own game come out LONG ago. Which his game isn't out yet and won't be out for awhile so there you have it, I don't own squat.

Chapter 1: Nibelheim

Tifa shifted nervously in the back seat of the buggy they had all recieved from Dio upon being released from the desert prison. _I can't believe we're almost back..._ she thought to herself. It had been 5 years now but she was finally returning to Nibelheim. _I wonder when I should or even could tell him that he never came back 5 years ago, and that it was Zack who came with Sephiroth._

Before Tifa could continue her train of thought she heard a giggle from the front two seats of the buggy and started to feel tears prickling at her eyes as she sifted her view to her other two companions. She saw Cloud sitting there showing Aeris how to drive the buggy and he was guiding her with his hands wrapped around hers on the steering wheel.

"Cloud, stop doing that," Aeris whined playfully, "it tickles."

Cloud shifted his face close to her ear again and whispered softly to her, "What... this?" he said as Aeris could feel his breath tickling her ear.

"Yes..." she said as she smiled up at him.

Cloud looked down on at her smiling face and felt a smile of his own starting to show when all of a sudden he heard a shuffle of clothing and what sounded like a muffled sob from the back. Aeris frowned knowing her and Cloud's flirting had just ended for now.

"Tifa...?" Cloud asked dumbfoundly towards the back of the buggy.

"I'm fine," she lied, "just some bad memories I can't stop thinking about." Tifa hoped Cloud would come back there and comfort her but was fully disappointed when all she heard was an "Ok" from him, and heard him sit back down in the passenger seat next to Aeris.

"We'll be there soon Teef so if you're feeling ok now go ahead and start getting ready," Cloud said in that leadership tone he had, "something's wrong with Nibelheim, I can just feel it."

Tifa sighed and sat up silently chiding herself. _Come on girl, you're stronger than this, he was just teaching her to drive, that's all, now pull yourself together._

Tifa then sat up and straightened her clothes, chancing a glance at Cloud. But her eyes never focused on the man they were searching for, they were glued to the sight outside the buggy.

There stood Nibelheim in all its old glory, as little as that was. Tifa couldn't believe her eyes though as she looked at her hometown, when all of a sudden she felt the buggy jerk to a stop. Cloud and Aeris climbed out of it first with Tifa slowly coming along.

As the trio aproached the old town Tifa's mind was being ransacked by hundreds of questions and thoughts, but only one word escaped he lips as she walked through into the little town. "What---!"

She was standing right before the well that her and Cloud had sat and talked on long ago, but her mind couldn't register that good memory as it was preoccupied with too many questions already. She then turned to Cloud and asked him, "This was all supposed to be burnt down, right?"

He nodded to her before opening his mouth to reply, "... I thought so."

Aeris then glanced at Tifa as she spoke again, "Then why...? My house is still there too..."

"... something's strange?" Aeris asked Cloud seeing as she's never been here before and therefore could only believe that the town had been built back with new houses and everything.

"I'm not lying!" Cloud said defensively, feeling that the other two were somehow blaming him for the town looking exactly as it did before it was burnt down. He then let his gaze fall to the ground and shook his head, "I remember... the intense heat of the flames..." he said slowly letting the subject drop.

Tifa glanced the towards the closest building near her, the inn. If someone was there she would get answers. Looking at all of this even made her question whether the town was burnt down or not. But her fingers rubbed acroos the scar running from her right shoulder to her left hip and she knew... just KNEW that something was indeed wrong with this picture and that the town was burned down all of those years ago.

Cloud followed Tifa's gaze towards the inn and had some question's he was waiting to ask of his own. Then he turned and headed for the inn as he noticed Tifa and Aeris slowly following behind him.

As the three entered the inn they noticed a man dressed in blue behind the counter look up and smile at them, "Hi, welcome." he said slearly hoping to do some business.

Cloud then walked brusquely up to the counter and looked the man square in the eyes, "This town was supposed to have been burnt down five years ago. What the hell is going on?" he asked hiding the anger he felt.

The man fidgeted nervously and then glanced behind him before he brought his eyes back to the one before him, "Sir, don't say such awful things. I was born and raised in this town, what you say never happened." He then heard a scoff from the girl behind this man accusing him of lying, and saw anger burning in her eyes.

Tifa thought to herself, _That bastard, I've never seen him before and **I** was born and raised here._ She then approached the counter to the left of Cloud before speaking. "You're lying," she then said through gritted teeth.

The man then turned around once again fidgetting before looking back at them and once again speaking, "EXCUSE ME... that's so rude... If you're going to talk like that to me, I'm going to have to ask you to leave." He said pointedly looking in Tifa's direction. She scoffed once more and then headed for the door throwing it open and then slamming it behind her.

_What the hell is going on here!_ She paused in her thoughts as Cloud and Aeris then emerged from the inn.

"I'm going to my house, you two talk to the people in the item shop and I'll meet you back out here." Tifa then said heading off towards her old house.

Aeris and Cloud didn't argue with her as they headed off for the item shop. Aeris smiled, she was just happy to be with Cloud, alone.

Tifa walked through her door and was immediately surprised as she saw a man in a black cape right beside her door mumbling something about getting something to Sephiroth and then becoming one with him. Tifa caring not for his random mumblings shouted at the man, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOUSE!"

The man didn't even acknowledge her presence and just kept to his rumblings. "Hey, answer me!" She then said to him just a little quieter this time. After a couple of seconds she stomped off towards the kitchen looking for anyone else. As she walked past the door she then saw that there was indeed someone else in there. She walked up to the man and grabbed his shoulders slightly shaking him.

"What's going on here?" she asked him not expecting an answer, when all of a sudden she heard something drop to the floor and bent down then to pick up an ether that the man had dropped.

As she walked away she noted that this man here kept mumbling something about 'Reunion' whatever the hell that was. She then decided to head up the stairs. As she was about halfway up she was able to hear a shuffling of cloth and feet and something was moving around. From where she was at on the stairs she could tell it came from her parent's room, of course if it weren't for her martial arts training she wouldnt have heard anything at all.

As she approached the door she couldn't see anything, but she could still hear something moving around. She then looked inside and saw another cloaked figure near the window. She walked over to it, but this time refrained from speaking and instead just looked at it. It was holding one of her old gloves in its hands just mumbling incoherent words. Tifa immediately grabbed for the glove and expected the cloaked figure to fight back, but it didn't even seem to notice what she'd done. She looked at the 'Platinum Fist' she'd just got back and stored it in her pack. She then headed off to her room to see if there was anything she could find.

She then walked over to her old desk and saw something sitting there. When she got close enough she noticed that it was a report of some sort. As she was reading it she discovered that all the townspeople where lying about living there, they were just actors hired by Shinra. Tifa then threw the piece of paper down and decided to go and meet Cloud and Aeris outside in front of Cloud's old house.

When Tifa walked out the door her heart dropped, there was Cloud and Aeris walking arm in arm from Cloud's house with Cloud shaking his head and Aeris was seemingly comforting him. _Yeah that's it, just comforting him..._ Tifa told herself. She then called out to them.

"Hey guys, I'm over here." Cloud and Aeris looked up then at the sound of Tifa's voice, then Aeris started walking towards Tifa after letting go of Cloud's arm and Cloud followed soon after.

"All the people in this town are actors, and they rebuilt the place to look just like it was five years ago so that no one could know what happened here." Tifa said to them as they reached her.

"I'd believe it," said Cloud casting his glance towards the ground, "they all seem so nervous and fidgetty when I talk about what happened 5 years ago and then they say it never happened."

"Yea, well what about that mansion over there?" Aeris asked, "one of those cloaked guys said Sephiroth was it, want to check it out?"

"Might as well," Tifa said heading towards the old run down building.

As the three entered the mansion the smell of death and decay entered their noses, then before Cloud went any farther he called the others on the PHS.

"Hello?" It was Barret, "damnit Yuffie leave that old man alone, Cloud, why the hell did you leave me with the cat, the dog, and the damn brat!"

Cloud only sighed as he heard Nanaki on the other line state clearly that he is NOT a dog. "Where are you all at?"

"Umm... we were just about to come into Nibelheim when all of a sudden Yuffie started harassing some poor old man that was walking by."

"Ok, well get over here to the mansion, and meet me at the door, I don't like the feel I'm getting from this place and I'd prefer for all of us to stick together in here."

"Alright, we'll be there soon." After that Cloud heard a click and then hung his own phone up.

He turned to his two female companions and stated clearly that everyone was on their way and that they'd explore the place as soon as everyone got there.

After about five minutes Tifa heard the door open and turned to look at the other four who had just entered the old mansion. "Finally, I'm tired of just standing here." She exclaimed heading towards a room on the left.

As Tifa entered the room she heard the other's follow after her. She saw a letter sitting on the ground and picked it up to read it. "I must get rid of all those that stand in the way of my research. Even that one from the Turks. I scientifically altered him, then put him to sleep in the basement. If you want to find him, then search the area. But... this is merely a game I thought of, it is not necessary for you to participate, if you don't want to." She read aloud . Afterwards Tifa saw another letter and decided to open it too. "Move the dial on the safe carefully, but quickly. You have 20 seconds. You can not go past the number while turning. The four hints for the numbers are..."

Tifa then saw a list and looked up to see everyone looking her. So then she began, "Dial 1, the lid of the box with the most oxygen; Dial 2, behind the Ivory's short of tea and ray; and Dial 3, the creek in the floor near the chair on the second floor... then to the left five steps, up two steps, left nine steps, and up six steps."

After she finished Cloud spoke up, "Ok, so who wants to search for which numbers? I want two people to a number."

Yuffie said she would search for dial three and Cait Sith said he would go with her, then Barret and Nanaki said that they would look for dial two, and then Cloud looked at Tifa and told her to look for the safe while he and Aeris looked for the number for dial one.

Tifa silently waved them off not really paying attention because she was too busy wondering about the guy they might find hidden in the basement and where the fourth hint was. When she looked up she noticed she was alone and decided to head up stairs in search of the safe, all the while wondering about that fourth clue.

As she reached the top of the stairs she saw Yuffie and Cait to her right and decided to go left. Then she saw Aeris jump up for joy as she found the first number on the lid of a box in a room filled with flowers.

Aeris looked at Cloud and smiled happily, "I just knew it had something to do with plants talking about oxygen like that, and I was right." She let another big smile grace her lips and Tifa was happy for the girl, but then when Cloud started to speak Tifa felt her heart drop again.

"Good job Aeris, I bet we were the first to find one of the numbers, now we just need to find Tifa and the safe, and then maybe sometime later we can go on that date you promised me." Cloud then winked at her and that's when Tifa decided she would go into the room on her right not really caring what was in it.

As she went through the doorway she looked down at the piece of paper in her hands and noticed something when it hit just the right light, she looked again and saw that in invisible ink whoever had wrote the note wrote down, Dial 4 is Right 97 She thought about going back and showing Cloud what she found out but when she heard that familiar giggle she thought against it and decided to look for the safe. She didn't have to look for long though because right there in front of her was... the safe.

Tifa then called out for Aeris and Cloud and anyone else that might hear her, "Hey guys, I found the safe!"

Aeris and Cloud then walked in through the door soon followed by Yuffie, Cait, Barret, and Nanaki. They all looked smug as everyone had found what they were searching for. Cloud then stepped up to the safe and asked for the numbers as he began turning the dial.

"Ok. people, what was first?"

Aeris then spoke up, "Right 36."

"Second?"

Nanaki was next, "Left 10."

"Third?"

Last was Yuffie, "Right 59."

Cloud then tried to open the safe and was dissapointed when it didn't open up, "What the he--" he started as Tifa spoke up.

"It's Right 97, it was written on the letter in invisible ink." She finished with a slight smirk expecting to get a 'good job' like Aeris got but was crestfallen when all he said was, "Ok, thanks Teef."

Then Cloud heard a click and was knocked back as a creature jumped from the safe and attacked the group of seven. Tifa no longer had the time to be depressed over Cloud's attentions to Aeris as she readied herself for the upcoming fight.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: If I owned Final Fantasy 7 I would be rich and Vincent would have had his own game come out LONG ago. Which his game isn't out yet and won't be out for awhile so there you have it, I don't own squat.

Chapter Two : The Man in the Basement

The creature was half red and half purple. The red haly had tentacle's sticking out all over it's head on that side and one big tenmtacle for an arm, and the purple half just had a big arm sticking out from it. Without hesitating the monster lunged at Cloud as he steadied himself from the first blow he took, "Everyone!" he shouted, "go back down to the main room, we can't fight this thing up here!"

Cloud then slashed at the arm reaching for Aeris and picked her up after strapping his Buster Sword to his back so he could make it down stairs.

Tifa somersaulted and jumped over obstacles in her way as she headed out of the room and down the stairs. When she reached the stairs she looked back to see Cloud carrying Aeris with Barret giving them cover fire. She then glanced down and saw Yuffie, Cait, and Nanaki all on the bottom waiting for her and the others. When she glanced back she noticed the creature was already too close for comfort and had a tentacle arm shooting straight out towards her. She then deftly jumped over the railing and landed on the bottom floor with a dull thud as she looked up to see Barret running down the stairs right arm still firing and Cloud leaping over the rail about where she did.

Tifa moved out of the way of Cloud's landing and looked up just in time to see Barret get grabbed and thrown down towards them by one of the tentacles, her eyes were filled with horror as she knew Barret's back would most likely be broken when he hit the ground but was fully relieved when Cait Sith used his big stuffed Moogle to soften Barret's landing.

But before Tifa could thank Cait sith a tentacle had shout out in her direction and knocked her towards a wall. But before her back slammed into it she flipped herself in mid-air and landed on the wall with her feet jumping out towards the creature just in time to see Cloud rush the creature sword drawn. Her and Cloud attacked at the same time kicking, punching, and slicing at the thing while undoubtedly Aeris was charging up for a spell.

Barret finally got up off of Cait Sith, and started firing towards the monster as Cait Sith was curing everyone who got hit with a restore materia.

Yuffie ran forward shuriken out and with an evil glint in her eye, yes she saw it, that summon materia that popped out when the creature was released, and this creature was going down because at the mopment it stood between her and a possibly rare summon materia.

Yuffie then saw Tifa and Cloud each get knocked back as their enemy released a spell it had been charging up but that didn't faze her, she knew Cait Sith was ready to cure them so they could jump right back into the fray Yuffie then attacked the creature sticking her shuriken straight into its forehead and then saw it start trembling. She jumped for joy thinking the battle done but then got back into a ready stance when she realised that the creature had just transformed.

Tifa couldn't believe her eyes as the hideous being was now all red with two huge tentacle's for arms and many smaller ones around the rest of its body. Tifa hated fighting things with tentacle's, they could always sneak around you and wrap you up in a death grip. Just then one did try to sneak around her but she quickly smashed it with her foot as she looked over at the Ancient who seemed close to done with her spell casting. Tifa flashed a smirk towards the creature knowing that for Aeris to charge up a spell this long it was going to be good, for her and her teammates that was.

Aeris all of a sudden opened her eyes and Tifa knew it was time, she motioned for Yuffie and Cloud to jump back as well and they did so. Then all eyes were on Aeris as she cast a summon Tifa hadn't seen yet.

"ODIN!" Aeris yelled and Yuffie's eyes widened as she realized Aeris must have picked up that materia in the room before coming down here.

Everyone watched as the sky grew black and a big man in armor riding a four legged armored horse came out of seemingly nowhere. The horseman was carrying a huge lance and looked at the creature without flinching an inch. The horse whinnied then as it's rider threw the lance as high into the air as he could. Everyone watched the spear cut through the black sky before coming down and impaling the creature straight through the middle of it's skull. Odin the vanish and everyone saw the creature was finished and then watched as it slowly turned to dust and drifted off.

"Is everyone ok?" Aeris asked looking around.

Her reply was a unanimous yes from everyone, and she smiled. "Well that's good, and I guess it's a good thing I snagged this before we all came down here huh?" She asked holding up a shiny red orb with the word 'Odin' written across it. There was another unanimous yes and then Aeris put the materia away while Yuffie was watching it go, with a look of longing on her face.

"Well..." Tifa started, "let's go get that key and find out who this ex-Turk in the basement is huh?"

After picking up the key they all went to search for the door to the basement.

"Hey, Cloud, where's that door that leads down to the basement again?" Barret asked looking towards the ex-SOLDIER.

"Umm... I forgot..." Cloud answered sheepishly.

After Cloud's confesion of his horrible memory the group searched all the rooms downstairs and up until they finally entered a room to the right on the second floor.

"I feel a draft somewhere in here," Nanaki stated softly as he padded around the room. He came to a curved wall in the back corner of the room and then looked towards the others, "it's right here"

Tifa walked up to the door while everyone watched her. She examined the door for any handles but found none when she decided to just open the door up the old fashion way... she reared back and gave it a good smack.

Tifa shook her head as the door didn't budge. Next Yuffie walked up to look at the door and after not being able to see anyway to open it up looked towards Nanaki and asked him if he was sure this is the door.

"Yes, I am one-hundred percent sure." Nanaki stated to the yound shinobi.

_This is hopeless..._ Tifa though to herself as she leaned against the wall, when all of a sudden she felt the block under her back move a little and watched as the stone door slid back into the wall and then slid open to the right.

"Well that works.." Aeris said looking into the newly opened path.

"I'll go first," stated Cloud as he headed towards the dark path. When he reached the door he looked down and noted that the spiral staircase still went down about 20 feet until it reached the bottom and he all of a sudden had a horrible feeling about going down into the old basement.

The group descended the stairs in silence seemingly scared that any noise might make the old wood beneath them rattle and give way. There weren't even any 'grossness's from Yuffie... until she reached the bottom at least.

Upon jumping off the steps Yuffie started swiping at invisible gunk and muttering 'grossness' continually.

Tifa looked out into the darkness and could hear numerous monsters moving around in the darkness, mostly bats, but there were other things down there that she could hear and knew she DIDN'T want to have to fight at all.

Cloud was the first to head off into the darkness and he waved the others to follow him, Aeris came up to walk right alongside him shile Tifa was a little behing the two feeling totally left out, and then the others where behind her ready to fight at a moment's notice.

In the distance the group noticed a door on their left. Cloud motioned then for Tifa and Aeris to follow after him and he told the others to sit outside and be lookout.

When the three entered the room they noticed that there was a coffin sitting by itself in the middle of the room, and Cloud walked up to it. Before Cloud reached it though a deep voice rang throughout the room, "... To wake me from the nightmare."

Tifa felt a shiver run down her back at the voice that was spoken, not from terror, but she still couldn't quite place it, but all of a sudden her attention was brought to the coffin as it's lid was thrown open.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hey everyone, I got reviews and so I've decided to make sure I get this up as soon as possible but wouldn't let me log in late at night Sunday to update and so this is a little late coming in. Late compared to what I had planned anyways. But nevertheless I'm hoping to also have the next chapter up soon. And it's been brought to my attention that my writing may seem a little confusing so I apologize to anyone who thinks as much and I would also like to let you all know that for more help with clarity I'll start putting dividers between Vincent and Tifa's points of view as I change. Thank you all for reviewing I greatly appreciate it. And a special thanks to Cendrillo, I've read your whole Myth and Legend story arc except for mythos and I loved them all, to tell the truth that's what recently made me get off my butt to write and post this, and I'm very happy to have you review my story and thanks for pointing out that the story was a little confusing, and I reread it and can see what you mean and like I said I'll work on it. Once again thanks and just to let everyone know, constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. This is my first fic that's not a poem after all.

Now on to the story.

Disclaimer: If I owned Final Fantasy 7 I would be rich and Vincent would have had his own game come out LONG ago. Which his game isn't out yet and won't be out for awhile so there you have it, I don't own squat.

Chapter 3: Joining the Group

Vincent was VERY irritated. Someone had come into the mansion and just awoken him from his atonement sleep. "Who is it?" He said, obviously annoyed, as he looked up towards the group that stood before him. There were two women and a blonde haired man with a big sword in front of him. He also sensed the presence of four other people outside the door, a mechanical robot, some dog like creature, another woman, and another man who smelled slightly of machinery.

Vincent couldn't recognize anyone of his visitors so he told them all calmly, "... Never seen you before. You must leave."

Vincent then heard the man in the room speak, "You were having a nightmare."

The girl to his right in a pink dress then spoke next. "You'll dream about bad things if you sleep in a place like THIS."

Vincent replied to her coldly, "Hmph... a nightmare...? My long sleep has given me time to atone."

"What are you saying?" the man asked.

Vincent decided he had no time to explain his situation to these strangers and didn't want them here anymore. Besides the brunette in the room seemed to show such a deep sadness hidden within herself that he felt himself wanting to take away some of her pain, but he knew if he tried to help anyone again it would only ever end up hurting them in the end.

"I have nothing to say to strangers. Get out." he finished coldly. Those wine colored eyes of the brunettes were starting to show a pity for him and he knew himself not worthy of such feelings.

"This mansion is the beginning of your nightmare." He told them all, hoping they would get the picture. He was quite disappointed though when he noticed this statement seemed to pique their interests even more.

The blonde headed young man then lowered his head, "... you can say that again."

"Hmm? What do you know?" Vincent asked the group, clearly wondering why the man here would agree with him.

"Like you said, this mansion is the beginning of a nightmare," Vincent failed to see where this was going, "no, it's not a dream, it's for real."

Vincent quirked an eyebrow up clearly wanting the young man to tell him where he was going with this before he lost his patience.

"Sephiroth has lost his mind. He found the secrets hidden in this mansion..." Vincent had to restrain himself to keep from jumping at this news and succeeded in keeping a calm demeanor.

Instead he settled for one word, "Sephiroth!"

Then the two men seemingly at the exact same time questioned each other, "You know Sephiroth?"

Vincent was now ready to talk, or listen, so he stood up and deftly flipped in the air only to come back down and land on the edge of his coffin.

Tifa gasped as she could get a glimpse at the ethereal beauty this cold and detached person had, and she immediately was wondering how he'd acquired the golden claw he has for a left arm.

Vincent heard the brunette gasp and guessed that it was out of fear so he ignored it, expecting them to run at the sight of his hideous arm. _Damn Hojo,_ he thought to himself, _I'll get you back one day, for all the things you have done._

Vincent then turned his attention back to the man who knew of Sephiroth, "You start first." he simply stated.

Cloud then proceeded to tell Vincent all he knew about Sephiroth from the Nibelheim incident to the most recent events. "...That's how it was." he ended.

"So Sephiroth knows he was created five years ago? And about the Jenova project?" Vincent was letting all of this new information soak into his mind slowly as he started feeling worse and worse,_ if that was possible for a monster like him_, he thought warily. "... He was missing but has just recently reappeared." Vincent repeated himself again to make sure he got everything right. "He has taken many lives and is seeking the Promised Land."

"Now it's your turn." Cloud said expecting to hear what this strange man knew about Sephiroth.

"Sorry... I can not speak." Vincent said letting his gaze drift towards his coffin. As he said this he heard an outburst come from the girl in the pink dress.

"That's dirty!" Aeris shouted obviously frustrated that someone here was withholding information about Sephiroth that he previously said he would share.

Vincent ignored the woman's outburst and drop down to stand in his coffin getting ready to once again begin his eternal nightmare. "Hearing your stories, has added upon me yet another sin." He says coldly looking around at the three. "More nightmares shall come to me now, more than I previously had."

Tifa looked at the man standing before her with tears starting to well up in her eyes as he slowly went to lay back in his coffin, _What a horrible way for anyone to look at things, I don't know what happened to this man but whoever made him like this is most definitely a monster_, Tifa finished that thought with a feeling of anger directed at the man who locked this tortured soul down here.

Vincent could see the brunette near the back start tearing up, but then he was confused as he suddenly saw a burning rage in her eyes. _My hideousness has probably brought her to tears, and now she's apparently angry at me for not telling them what I know about Sephiroth, and from that look she's ready to rip me to shreds, but nevertheless, they will leave and I will continue to sleep. That should put them all at a peace of mind._

Vincent finished his thoughts with a polite yet still very detached statement, "Now... please leave."

Tifa was surprised to see the lid of his coffin rise up and land back on the body of the coffin with a thud as the man in black laid back down to rest. But she wouldn't just leave him here, no Tifa was going to find out what happened to this man and was definitely not going to just leave and let this remain as it is. She saw Cloud and Aeris start to walk up and decided she would walk up to the mysterious stranger to ask him for his help if those two wouldn't. As Tifa approached the coffin once more she saw the lid fly up and heard Cloud and Aeris turn around to look at whatever made the sound.

Vincent was wondering to himself why they didn't leave, _They've seen how hideous I am, I didn't tell them what they wanted to know, and now the brunette still wants to talk to me, maybe to give me a piece of her mind. _But nonetheless Vincent sat up and opened his mouth to speak.

"...You're still here." he stated matter-of-factly.

"Who are you?" Tifa asked him as Cloud and Aeris walked over.

Vincent remained silent so Cloud walked over, "At least tell us your name."

Vincent decided he would reply if not only for the pleading look in the martial artist's eyes, "I was with... " Vincent thought about how to put this, "the Shinra Manufacturing Department in Administrative Research, other wise know as -- the Turks... Vincent."

_The name fits, weirdly enough, _thought Tifa.

"The Turks!" shouted Cloud.

_apparently someone was too busy flirting to hear me say that the man locked down here used to be in the Turks, _Tifa said to herself glaring at Cloud for being so stupidly oblivious.

"Formerly of the Turks," Vincent responded obviously irritated at Cloud's reaction, "I have no affiliation with Shinra now," Vincent continued bitterly thinking of the scientist who had stolen his love and his humanity, "... And you?" Vincent finished seeing the mako glow in his eyes, immediately giving away that he was also once with Shinra.

"Cloud, formerly of SOLDIER." Vincent smirked to himself amused that he still knew the mark of SOLDIER, his smirk hidden behind his cloak of course. "You were also with Shinra... Then do you know Lucrecia?" Vincent asked with a pained expression over his face, well you'd know it was pain if you knew Vincent, yet these three didn't.

"Who?" Cloud asked dumbly.

Vincent paused, "... Lucrecia." Cloud then shook his head 'no' and Vincent decided to clarify for him. "The woman who gave birth to Sephiroth."

"... gave birth...?" Cloud asked thinking Sephiroth was actually created, but Tifa couldn't even breathe, _This man KNEW Sephiroth's mother?_ she mentally shouted to herself, looking confused and surprised all the same. Cloud's voice then brought Tifa out of her thoughts.

"Wasn't Jenova Sephiroth's mother?"

"That isn't completely wrong, but just a theory," Vincent replied.

Aeris smiled apparently happy that Vincent did indeed tell them what he knew about Sephiroth.

"He was born from a beautiful lady," continued Vincent. "That lady was Lucrecia."

Tifa seemed to sense a bottomless sadness from Vincent as he continued to talk about this Lucrecia.

"She was an assistant to Professor Gast of the Jenova project. Beautiful... Lucrecia." Tifa felt a tinge of jealousy towards this Lucrecia, for her to have a man think so highly of her when the man she cared for wouldn't even give her a second thought, he was too captivated by his flower girl.

Before Tifa could continue that train of though Cloud asked Vincent another question, apparently an assumption, "... A human experiment?"

Vincent stoned up as he replied to the blonde swordsman, "There was no way to cancel the experiment. I couldn't stop her. That was my sin."

Tifa suddenly felt sorry for Vincent, whom she could tell blamed himself for everything that happened to this, Lucrecia. Tifa then heard Vincent continue.

"I let the one I loved, the one I respected most, face the worst." After he said that Tifa felt her selfless side kick in and all of a sudden she had the urge to run up and comfort this poor soul, but she decided to hold back seeing as he didn't seem the type to enjoy someone's company.

Vincent watched the constantly changing emotions in the eyes of the woman who had approached him last before the words of the girl in pink brought his attention to her.

"So the punishment was to sleep? That's... kinda weird." Aeris said wanting to move on with their search of the mansion, she could still feel a sense of evil in here and it was definitely NOT coming from this man.

Vincent had had enough of this and the look of pity that now crossed the brunette's face troubled him. Without a word he laid back down and lost himself in his thoughts as the lid of his coffin thunked shut.

Tifa wasn't too happy to see him lie back down and especially with a look of annoyance across his blood red eyes. When the coffin shut she walked forward again to ask him to come with them. The part of her that wanted to help everyone just wouldn't let her leave him here without TRYING, and not to mention she just felt herself drawn to him and unknowingly, she hasn't been thinking of Cloud and his affections towards a certain flower girl lately.

Vincent heard someone approach his coffin again as he heard two people head for the door. Before the brunette (he guessed) could reach his coffin he quickly spoke out to her, "... Let me sleep." He then heard what sounded like a sad sigh and footsteps heading out of the room.

_**You know it might be good for you to get out of this dank mansion.**_

Vincent heard the voice of Galion Beast in his head and scoffed mentally.

_What do you know demon? _Vincent replied.

**_I know that this group of people is heading after Sephiroth and apparently has problems with Shinra, so if you go with them you never know, you just might be able to have your revenge on you know who._**

Vincent was filled with rage once again at the thought of the man who had done this too him.

_Hojo... you really think I'll find him? I think you just want to get out of this box for once._

**_True I want out, but I also have a feeling that you've been in here far too long and should go out and take care of Hojo, instead of just sit here moping around for the rest of eternity._**

_Shut up demon, you have no right to criticize me about my life, but I can see that you do have a point._

_**Glad you see it my way Vince.**_

_Vincent..._

Vincent then heard a deep chuckle within his mind and shook his head slightly, how long he'd been conversing with the purple beast he did not know, but nonetheless he would search for this group of people and question them on the matter of Hojo, then he would make his decision.

Vincent climbed out of his coffin slowly and heard footsteps outside of the door, _apparently they have not left yet..._ he thought as he went to open the door.

Tifa looked back at the room Vincent was in, their encounter with Sephiroth just now had greatly confused her but she still couldn't help but let her mind wander back to the dark ex-Turk who was undoubtedly behind that door. She thought about going up and asking him to come, but decide that she didn't want to further irritate him and turned to follow the others.

_It's just not fair..._ Tifa started thinking until she heard a "Wait!" from behind her. As she turned around she couldn't help but smile there was Vincent flipping through the air towards them all. _Guess I might have a chance at helping him yet..._ she thought to herself mentally smirking.

Vincent was glad they hadn't gotten too far yet and noticed that there where four other people with them that they hadn't seen yet. One of them was sitting there with a weird look on her face mouthing, 'Vampire... vampire...' under her breath, but Vincent heard. Then there was a big black man in the back with a gun grafted into his right arm, and electronic cat sitting atop a stuffed moogle, and a dog creature that was looking at him calmly with one open eye.

Vincent looked at Cloud and asked him, "If I go with you will I meet Hojo?"

"I don't know, but were after him and Sephiroth so I guess sooner or later." Cloud replied.

"Lucrecia..." _I will avenge you before long._ Vincent though to himself.

"All right. I've decided to go with you."

Tifa smiled slightly to herself upon hearing his answer. _Maybe now I can find out more about this Lucrecia woman._ Tifa thought to herself as they all turned out and left the dark mansion.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Yay! More reviews. Thank you everyone for reviewing me, and since you did I decided I would get this chapter up as soon as possible. I hope all of you who have reviewed me already will stay with me throughout the rest of the story and keep reviewing.

Anyways... On to the next chapter...

Disclaimer: If I owned Final Fantasy 7 I would be rich and Vincent would have had his own game come out LONG ago. Which his game isn't out yet and won't be out for awhile so there you have it, I don't own squat.

Chapter 4: The First Night

Tifa looked around the little campsite they'd set up in the Nibel mountains. Yuffie was near Vincent trying to get him to say something to her, when all of a sudden he glared at her and she smiled while Tifa caught a faint, "Sorry Vinny."

Tifa almost laughed at the nickname the ninja had given their newest companion, that is until she saw Vincent's cold stare in her direction, _Apparently he heard the giggle,_ Tifa thought as she gulped and Vincent then stared icily at Yuffie's retreating back, "Its Vincent," he said so coldly Yuffie cringed before heading off to go talk to Nanaki.

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Vincent looked at Yuffie as she walked away, _This is going to be a long trip, _he thought to himself, _how did I end up coming along for this anyway?_ He asked no one but the demon inside him decided to take it as a personal question

_**Hojo.**_

_I know that demon, _Vincent spat back, he was getting tired of the beasts interferences with his thoughts lately.

_**Then why'd you ask?**_

Vincent sighed and decided he needed to go somewhere to think for a bit without the group he had newly joined finding out about his demon companion, if companion was even a good word to use to describe the demon.

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Tifa saw Vincent stand up after sighing and watched him head off into the darkness, she was going to tell him to be careful but with him being an ex-Turk she knew he would be fine and returned to looking around the campsite.

Barret and Cait Sith were playing cards over near the fire while Yuffie and Nanaki were talking about something, with Yuffie doing most of the talking and Red just sitting there looking bored. Tifa then began to search out her two friends, and when she found them she felt another clench at her heart.

Aeris and Cloud were sitting shoulder to shoulder on the other side of the fire from Barret and Cait's card game and were talking about something when Aeris looked over at Tifa and gave her a worried glance.

_Uh oh,_ Tifa thought_, why must she always be able to see right through me like that?_

Aeris said goodbye to Cloud and walked over to where Tifa was sitting. She promptly sat next to her and asked her what was wrong.

"Umm... n-nothing," Tifa lied.

"Come on, you can talk to me, you always have..." Aeris then trailed off giving Tifa a glance over.

"Something troubling you about Vincent?" she asked her friend.

"Umm... yea... that's it," Tifa answered back unsurely.

"Well, I know he seems cold all the time but I'm sure he'll open up to us soon, he just seems to have alot on his mind," Aeris finished.

Tifa glanced at Aeris and was glad for the change of subject, "Yea, I wonder what happened to him though..."

Aeris looked at Tifa then to the distance where Vincent had disappeared, "I don't know, but I have a feeling we'll find out sooner or later."

Aeris then looked at Tifa once again, "But he's not what's been on your mind is he?" Aeris grinned at the look of a deer caught in some headlights Tifa had on her face just then.

"W-w-what are you talking about?" Tifa managed to stammer out.

Aeris sighed at this, "Tifa, I know your troubled by the way mine and Cloud's relationship seems to be headed, and I can only say... I'm sorry." Aeris continued, "I don't want you to be hurt over this but I can't help it, I just feel so drawn to him, and I know you are too," by this point Tifa's eyes were tearing up, "and Tifa I just don't know..." After finishing Aeris pulled her legs up closer to her and leaned her head on them.

Tifa could tell Aeris was really troubled by causing so much pain for a girl who was like a sister to her and then Tifa made a decision, "Aeris, you don't need to feel bad about anything... I just... well you know, we were childhood friends and I've always had this kind of crush on him." Tifa paused here for a second before continuing, "I want you to be happy, and I want the same for him..." Tifa felt a tear drop off her cheek as she kept talking,"and if you two want to be happy with each other, I have no right to stand in the way of that happiness, that's why I haven't said anything to you about it so far..."

Aeris then looked up at Tifa as she finished talking and wrapped the girl up in a hug before Tifa continued, "I don't want to stand in the way of you and Cloud being happy when I want you two to be... That's why I've been trying to get over him lately," Tifa then let out a sad chuckle, "guess it hasn't been working too well huh?"

Aeris held her friend there and told her a soft thank you before Tifa pulled away and looked her straight in the eyes, "... you two have my blessing," she said as she gave Aeris one more hug and sat back down.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Vincent looked down on the two chatting women having heard every word exchanged between the two.

_**Eavesdropping huh? Thought that was beyond you... Vinny.**_

Galian Beast started to chuckle at that comment while Vincent promptly told him to shut up.

Vincent looked down to Tifa at that moment and strangely felt sympathy towards the woman. He knew the pain of losing a loved one, although his was a much more painful and violent experience.

All of a sudden some movement to his left, near the edge of the woods caught his attention. He glanced towards the disturbance and saw a Nibel wolf approaching Tifa from behind. He stood up and took careful aim.

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Tifa looked up at the sky from where she was sitting and saw Vincent looking down towards her pointing his gun in her direction. She was so terrified she couldn't even move, _Idiot you can't run, he's an ex-Turk if he wants to shoot you he's going to shoot you..._ Tifa looked towards him with fear written all over her face still sitting where she was when Aeris walked away.

_I guess this is the end, _she thought to herself and braced herself for the shot hoping she could survive and get away before he could reload.

BANG!

Tifa waited for the pain to come but all she heard was something hit the ground behind her and when she turned around she was over flooded with relief. There, just three feet from her was a very vicious looking Nibel wolf with a bullet hole clean through it's skull. She looked up to where Vincent was to thank him, only to realize that he'd already went off somewhere different.

Everyone was gaping at her as she looked towards them and waved nervously sitting back down. _I wonder why he didn't just tell me to look behind me, _she thought to herself, _oh yea, the no talking thing, right..._

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_Did she think that I was going to shoot her?_ Vincent thought to himself.

_Well it wouldn't be unusual seeing as we just met, and she knows close to nothing about me._

**_It's because you're a monster Vinny,_** cut in Galian Beast, **_deal with it._**

_WILL YOU STOP WITH THAT NAME!_ Vincent shouted at the unwelcome guest in his thoughts.

_**What? Vinny?**_

_YES! It's Vincent._

_**Ok Vinny.**_

Vincent could practically feel the smirk from Galian Beast as he decided to just keep his thoughts closed away from the demon.

_Lucrecia... _Vincent thought as he stared off into the distance. Tonight he would keep watch over the others, for a monster like him needed no rest, he'd gotten enough in 30 years.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The next morning Tifa awoke to the sight of Vincent up on a high ledge looking down on the group, _Like a guardian angel_, she thought, _Wait... where did THAT come from?_ she asked herself. _Must be some shock leftover from what happened last night, yea that's it._

"Good morning Vincent." Tifa said as she stretched her arms and back muscles.

He just nodded back to her as a response, but she thought nothing of it.

"You get up at daybreak?" Tifa asked trying to start some conversation with the gunman.

"Didn't sleep." Vincent said cooly.

"WHAT!" Tifa burst out, almost waking up everyone else before Vincent put a finger to his lips telling her to be quiet for now.

"My body does not require the sleep it once did," Vincent replied letting his gaze fall to the ground, and Tifa could sense a greater sadness coming from the man than what he usually gave off. She took a step towards him to try and comfort him when he reached a hand up and told her he didn't deserve her comfort or sympathy. Then, he abruptly turned towards the mountain and left the campsite once again.

Tifa decided to ignore what just occurred between her and Vincent before she beat herself up worrying and wondering about him. So she started to cook breakfast.

As Tifa was cooking breakfast she noticed the other members of AVALANCHE start to wake up and she started humming a little tune when Aeris came up to her to help her.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Vincent continued walking up the path he'd found as soon as he left the campsite. He could smell the food Tifa was cooking but wasn't very hungry. _Thirty years without food and you learn to live without it, or it may just be the Jenova inside of me... _Vincent thought as he continued up the path he chose. Where it led he didn't know but it was up a lone peak so it couldn't go to far and Vincent decided he'd reach the end of it before heading back.

As Vincent reached the top he found an old box that was fairly large wedge inside the cliff. _What's this?_ He thought as he stuck his claw into the side of it and pulled.

The box didn't move but the covering Vincent had stuck his claw into came right out and Vincent could see light glimmer off of something in the hole. He reached in and pulled out a big broadsword, _Wonder if Cloud can use this..._ he thought heading back towards the group with the sword slung over his shoulder, _If nothing else, I can always sell it_.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Tifa saw Vincent coming back towards the group and a smile lit up her face. _I hope he likes breakfast..._ she thought to herself as she began to pick his ;ate and walk towards him. Then she saw what he had slung over his shoulder, it was a sword and Cloud was ogling it like it was the most beautiful thing he ever saw.

Vincent walked over to Cloud and dropped the sword down at his feet. He then turned to Tifa and glanced down at the food she held in her hands. She blushed and walked towards him to give him his food. He gratefully accepted and sat down to eat.

Tifa tried to start a conversation and asked him, "So how was your walk?"

"..." Vincent just kept eating his food.

Tifa decided she would leave him to his meal hoping he enjoyed it but as she stood she heard him speak her name softly.

"The food is delicious... thank you." With that he continued to his meal and Tifa blushed a little as she walked away to start packing her and Aeris's tent.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

_Why did I accept the food? _Vincent asked himself, _I wasn't hungry..._

_**Because of that look she gave you you numbskull.**_

_What are you talking about demon._

_**She had that pleading look in her eyes and you had a soft spot for her.**_

_What do you know! _Vincent accused the demon.

_**Fine, don't listen to me you monster...** _Galian Beast then left Vincent to his thoughts after hoping he hit a nerve in the gunman.

Vincent decided he would have to rethink this later and looked up as Cloud stood assuming the leader position once again.

"Okay people, we're heading across the mountains to Rocket Town next," Cloud then looked around at everyone, "make sure you're prepared for anything because we're going to have to pass through the Nibel reactor."

Vincent could feel on him where his Quicksilver was and knew that was all he had so he just sat there waiting for everyone else to finish getting ready. He then saw Tifa walking towards him and wondered what she wanted this time.

"Here, we found this in Kalm awhile back and I think you might want it..." Tifa said extending her arm out to him. In her hand was a small pistol Vincent knew to be named a 'Peacemaker'.

Vincent grabbed the gun from Tifa and nodded his head to her in gratitude as she walked off to finish getting ready, after flashing him a quick smile of course.

Vincent inspected the gun and found it to be in very good condition. He placed the gun in one of his many holsters hidden in his cloak and turned towards Cloud as he noticed that now everyone was ready.

"Alright everybody... Let's mosey," and with that Cloud headed towards the rope bridge that would take them up into the reactor.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Hey everyone. Sorry that this chapter took a little longer than the others but I really got a pretty bad case of writer's block. I sat in front of the computer for like an hour or two thinking, Now, what next...? But as you can see I got over it. And once again thanks Cendrillo for pointing out something to me. I went and changed that and re-posted the chapter. On another note I can't think of anymore chapter titles so from now on it's going to just be chapter numbers. Anyways.. on with the story. Oh and please review. Thanks.

Disclaimer: If I owned Final Fantasy 7 I would be rich and Vincent would have had his own game come out LONG ago. Which his game isn't out yet and won't be out for awhile so there you have it, I don't own squat.

Chapter 5

Tifa looked around her as the group was coming ever closer to the rope bridge which her Zack, Sephiroth, and the two other Shinra soldiers fell off of years ago. _Will I ever be able to tell Cloud about that... _Tifa thought to herself, _No, I should probably tell Aeris and have her tell Cloud._

Tifa looked at Aeris and Cloud walking side by side ahead of everyone and thought the two did make quite the couple, even though her heart still hurt knowing she wasn't the girl Cloud wanted to be with, all she needed was to see that him and Aeris were both happy together and that would be enough for her. _I'm glad me and Aeris had that talk last night, it hurts so much less now to see them together._

Just then Tifa caught sight of something off to her left. There, laying off the road was one of the many monsters that roamed over these mountains, but something was wrong, it wasn't moving. When Tifa took a closer look she saw a bullet hole right between it's eyes, _Vincent..._

_How can one man be such a great shot?_ she thought to herself as she saw another dead monster up a path to their right. Just then she heard another gunshot and saw a bird that was heading towards the group fall out of the sky, bullet hole square between the eyes. She looked back at Vincent and could almost catch the remnants of a smirk in his eyes, seeing as the bottom half of his face was covered by his blood red cloak.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

_This is too easy... _Vincent thought to himself as he shot down a bird heading towards the group. Everyone turned around to look at him as they heard the shot, all of them with 'What was that for?' written all over their faces before they heard the dull thud of the monster hitting the ground. Tifa seemed to be the only one who knew he shot something before she turned to look at him.

Just then Vincent saw four of the green insects known to inhabit this part of the mountains approach Cloud and Aeris from behind. Vincent reloaded his gun with the speed of someone who could do it in their sleep and pointed it at the one creature that he could get a shot at without hitting Aeris or anyone else.

Aeris's eyes showed fear and Cloud's anger when Vincent pulled the trigger, until the two heard a scream of pain behind them and turned to see three more creatures approaching.

_Why does everyone think I'm going to shoot them! _Vincent thought irritated at the distrust in everyone but Tifa's eyes.

_**Vinny, they found you in a basement, locked in a coffin, and you told them to go away without even hearing them out, I wouldn't immediately trust you with my life either.**_

Vincent ignored Galian's comment and watched as Tifa was the first to react and ran forward into battle. One of the creatures jumped towards her to attack but she deftly dodged the attack and countered with a quick kick that sent the monster flying into the air. Vincent took aim at the flailing mass of limbs and fired four shots into it's chest.

Vincent then turned and saw Barret clumsily fill one of the insects with bullets as Cloud chopped another into almost two perfect halves.

"Well that's that..." Cloud said as Aeris started checking the group for injuries.

Nanaki and Yuffie gave each other bored looks while everyone else cleaned themselves up.

Vincent reloaded his Peacemaker and glanced in Tifa's direction to see her give Aeris and Cloud a hurt look as Aeris was fussing over a cut Cloud had received during the battle. Vincent saw Aeris then use a Cure spell as the cut healed up and Cloud told her a quick thank you.

Tifa looked up at him and Vincent caught the slight hint of a blush as Tifa turned away from him and headed off to go talk to Yuffie or Red. _Probably embarrassed by having someone see her in a moment of weakness..._

Vincent then felt something's presence nearby and turned to see another insect heading towards Barret. But before he could draw his gun and do away with the creature he saw something metal fly by and run the creature through. Curiously he glanced in the direction from which the metal object came and saw Yuffie with a huge grin on her face.

_Despite her overly annoying personality, she is a good shot..._ Vincent mused as he waited for Cloud to decide that they would continue on their way towards the reactor.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Tifa looked around her as everyone started up the rope bridge, she was nervous. Of course, who wouldn't be if the last tome you walked over a certain bridge snapped and you could hear it creaking more and more with each step as you were now walking across it again.

Cloud was up ahead helping Aeris, _Figures..._ Tifa sourly thought to herself, Yuffie didn't seem to be having any problems, Barret was just walking around like normal and Cait and Red didn't seem to be bothered as well.

Tifa then saw Vincent walking along with the same stride he always seemed to use. _He doesn't even seem to notice that we're on a rope bridge..._ Tifa thought to herself before a sudden jerk brought her out of her thoughts.

Next thing she knew she was looking down a couple hundred feet and felt her body freeze up with fear as she started to fall, but then suddenly she found herself held tightly in someone's embrace. _Cloud... _she thought before looking up_, but, when when was Cloud ever that fast?_ Tifa then knew her answer because she could just now feel a cold metallic arm wrapped around her left side. Then she looked straight up into Vincent's eyes and almost gasped at how they seemed to glow a crimson in the right type of light.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Vincent was walking along wondering at Tifa's nervousness. He'd been on many rope bridges before and apparently Tifa had been on this one a particularly great number of times, so why was she nervous.

Just then he saw her step on an obviously rotted step and start falling down the couple of hundred foot drop below them to the ground. He didn't think, just let his body react, because he knew if he hesitated at all he might get there too late.

She fell forward and the steps in front of her crumbled under her weight. Vincent reached his long arms down to grab her before she fell too far away, he ignored the gasps and cries of the others. He found a good footing and reached out just in time before she fell any farther. He then pulled her up into him and held her there for a couple of seconds before she turned around to look straight into his eyes.

Vincent felt himself lost in her wine colored gaze and for a second stared dumbly back at this beauty in his arms, but then his train of thought returned to him. _What am I doing? _he thought as he turned to the side and set her down.

_No one could ever care for me, but I know I saw something in her eyes, _Vincent thought to himself frantically as only one or two seconds went by. _Maybe it was fear again, yea she must be scared that I touched her with my claw... _At that Vincent was pulled from his own thoughts as Tifa flung her arms around him with a thank you, well... many thank you's.

Vincent tried to pull away after Tifa hugged him but she wouldn't let go, "I was so scared..." She said into his chest. He was finally able to get her to let go by grabbing her arms slightly and telling her, "You're safe now, so can you please let go?"

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Tifa then looked up at Vincent and noticed how uncomfortable he seemed to be so close to her. "Oh... sorry," Tifa blushed as she let go of Vincent and looked at the ground. Vincent just nodded at her and waited for her to start walking again.

_Wow... I never noticed how amazing those eyes of his are, _Tifa thought as she looked at Everyone who turned around and started walking forward again, _well... I have only known him for a day and a half now..._

Tifa noticed that Vincent seemed to be waiting for her and she started walking forward towards the rest of the group. She noticed he was waiting for her as he started walking when she did. Then Tifa decided she'd try to start a conversation with him and get to know more about this dark quiet man.

"So... what's on your mind?"

"..." _This is going to be harder than I thought... _Tifa told herself.

"Ok... well... where were you born?"

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

_Why does she want to know more about a monster like me? _Vincent asked himself.

_**Maybe because you saved her life Vinny? **_

_I only did what was right..._

**_Sure... I bet you just wanted to hold her so close to you _**Vincent felt Galian smirk in his mind and started to get really irritated with the demon.

_You really think too much into the things I do._

**_You just think too little._**

_If you don't shut up we're going going back to Nibelheim._

_That's better..._

Just then Tifa's voice brought Vincent out of his thoughts. "Vincent... Vincent?"

"Sorry... my mind was elsewhere..." Vincent replied.

"Oh... well we're almost to the reactor so you might want to make sure your gun's loaded because we never know what'll pop out of there." With that Vincent watched as Tifa strode forward to go chat with Aeris.

Vincent then saw the reactor up ahead and checked his Peacemaker to make sure it was full on ammo. Just then Vincent heard battle cries from up ahead. _What now! _he thought as he rushed forward to help the others.

When he got there he saw everyone in a heated battle with a dragon. Cloud was nursing a hurt arm as Aeris hurried to heal him up, Yuffie was ineffectively trying to find a place her shuriken wouldn't just bounce back off of, Red was casting Ice 2 spells on the beast, and Cait was casting Cure spells on everyone who Aeris wasn't. Vincent then looked over and saw Barret behind the creature trying to pierce it's skin with his bullets which wasn't helping much either.

A cry of pain came from the creature suddenly and Vincent looked to see who had succeeded in wounding it. His eyes widened as he saw Tifa with her foot planted firmly into the the creature's face. Tifa then jumped back from the creature as it sent a blast of flame towards Aeris and Cloud.

Aeris was too busy healing Cloud's arm to notice the attack and Cloud was in to much pain to see the flame heading towards them. Vincent took one look at Tifa who's face showed horror before he decided to run forward and push the two out of the way of the dragon's fire breath.

Vincent reached Aeris and Cloud right before the fire reached them, but he wasn't as lucky.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"VINCENT!" Tifa screamed as she saw his body engulfed in the dragon's flames.

_Oh my god... _Tifa thought as she kept looking for some kind of movement from the blackened body that appeared as the fires dissipated.

Tifa then saw Vincent twitch a little before he crunched over in pain holding his abdomen. He then started to shake violently before he jumped up to his feet and let out a feral roar.

"Vincent..." Tifa whispered as everyone else looked towards the gunman who was now breathing heavily. Even the dragon was looking curiously at its enemy's actions.

Tifa then gasped as she saw two horns pop out of Vincents head, and he bent forward as his arms lengthened, a purple tail shot out from behind him, and his body grew this purple fur all over. His face was now changed too. No longer was it the stoic human face she'd slowly gotten used too these past two days, but it was now the face of a monster, a furry purple beast.

Tifa was shocked beyond belief until she remembered the letter she found telling about Vincent. _So this must be what the man who locked Vincent down there meant by genetically altering him..._

Tifa then was amazed as she saw the Galian Beast, as she would later know to call it, charged the dragon head on and slam his claws into the dragon's chest. The dragon then roared out in pain as it threw the purple beast aside and into a wall.

Tifa heard a gasp from Aeris as Vincent's new body crashed into the wall outside of the reactor. Tifa then saw Galian pop out of the hole he'd created in the wall and charge the dragon once more. Tifa was amazed at the beast's strength as it jumped up and drove its claws and teeth into the dragon's neck. Then she heard a sickening pop as Galian broke the dragon's neck by twisting it around using his body weight.

After the dragon's body hit the ground the purple beast fell down as well and started changing back into Vincent. Tifa ran up to him to see if he was ok while everyone else was too stunned too move.

As Tifa got closer though she began to panic as she saw that he was laying in a puddle of his own blood. She heard him moan and bent down to lift his head into her lap as he seemed to be mumbling deliriously, "Hojo... why... demons... Lucrecia..."

Tifa decided she would ask him about everything later, but right now she needed to make sure Vincent was ok. Tifa then pulled out a phoenix down and poured it down his throat making sure he drank every last drop. She was surprised when he started to move and she noticed he wasn't burnt anymore, it was like the transformation healed him.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Vincent awoke to startlingly beautiful wine colored eyes and wondered if he was dead. But the pain he felt throughout his body told him he was still alive.

Suddenly he realized what had happened. He lost control and Galian had taken over. _Galian what just happened?_

**_You got toasted, so I saved your ass and your new friend's asses as well._**

_Save them? Pardon my doubt._Vincent asked suspiciously.

**_You're looking into Tifa's eyes right now, and I'm sure if I would've killed her friends you wouldn't be alive right now. She's definitely stronger than she looks._**

_You have a point..._


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Hey everyone, sorry this took longer than I'd expected but I've had some things pop up around the house and stuff but I finally got this out. Once again thank you all for reviewing and I hope you enjoy the chapter. Now, on with the story...

Disclaimer: If I owned Final Fantasy 7 I would be rich and Vincent would have had his own game come out LONG ago. Which his game isn't out yet and won't be out for awhile so there you have it, I don't own squat.

Chapter 6

Vincent stood up slowly and looked around at the rest of the group. Everyone was staring at him. Well, seeing as he just turned into a hideous purple monster and killed a dragon singlehandedly he expected as much.

_This is just what I didn't want to happen... _Vincent thought as he saw the looks he was getting from some of the others. Yuffie's face showed fear, while Barret's face showed something more kin to disgust Vincent guessed. Cait Sith was a robot so he couldn't tell what the operator of the robot thought about what had just happened. Red showed interest much to Vincent's surprise. Cloud stepped slightly in front of Aeris making sure the creature the gunman had turned into wouldn't harm her, while Aeris was just looking at him with curiosity in her eyes. Then Vincent looked at the one who he had woken up to and was even more surprised when he received a feeling of relief from her. But he would have never been able to guess that what happened next would have occurred.

"I'm so glad you're all right..." Tifa said as she threw her arms around him. This was the second time Vincent had found himself in this position with the same woman in only two days and unfortunately he was starting to enjoy it.

"... depends on your terms of 'all right' ," Vincent said as he stepped back a little, and this time Tifa let him go.

"Is the man who locked you down there responsible for that?" Tifa asked him.

"Yes..." Vincent replied, feeling really uncomfortable with the subject.

"Well..." Tifa began, leaning in closer so the others wouldn't be able to overhear, "I can see this topic troubles you so I won't pry any further, but I want to thank you for saving my friends." Then Tifa turned to the others after giving him one last smile.

"Well, shouldn't we get moving and away from this reactor before any more of those things pop up?" With that said Tifa entered the reactor.

No one else said a word to Vincent as they passed him and they continued after Tifa into the reactor, even Yuffie seemed to be deep in thought.

_That went better than I had expected... _Vincent thought to himself, glad that they were continuing already.Vincent then looked at his clothes and sighed as he noticed they were burned and torn in quite a few places.

_Guess I'll have to buy some more clothes at the next town we reach... _Vincent realized.

_**Maybe Tifa can help you shop Vinny.**_

_Don't be ridiculous. _Vincent replied to the demon, _She's just being nice in front of the others, there's no reason she would want to spend time with me when she doesn't have to._

_**You really are dull as a rock Valentine. **_

Vincent was surprised that the beast hadn't called him 'Vinny' again and figured he was being serious, but Vincent decided to just ignore Galian's statement and head off into the reactor before the others got too far ahead of him.

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Tifa gasped at her surroundings, _This isn't the actual reactor, it's more of like a construction area..._ the place looked more like it just had a metal door and floor while the rest was just the mountain. Tifa also saw some old rusty tubes up ahead on the left that looked like they were numbered with white numbers. Then when Tifa looked directly to her left and she could see that it dropped off. They all appeared to be on a platform of some sort.

Tifa turned around to make sure the others were behind her before she headed off towards the stairs thatled tothe bottom of this semi-constructed cavern.

As Tifa was walking down the stairs she started to get a feeling of anxiousness, and when she reached the bottom of the stairs she understood why. There blocking their way out o the reactor and to Rocket Town was a huge blue monster that had a horn, tail, and six legs, the middle two however weren't touching the ground.

Tifa quickly headed back up the stairs to tell the others about what was awaiting them if they wanted to cross the mountains.

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"What!" Cloud shouted, much to Vincent's dismay.

Vincent was about to tell Cloud to speak more softly, but Tifa beat him to it.

"Cloud keep it down, do you want the monster to know we're here?" she said in a whisper.

"Sorry, so what are we going to do?" Cloud replied.

Vincent decided he would tell them all the obvious, "We fight."

Barret spoke next, "How the hell do we fight a thing like that!"

Vincent sighed, "We first see if our long range weapons can hurt it, then if not the close range fighters will go next while we support them with materia." Vincent saw Tifa glance at him then nod her head.

"Vincent's right," Cloud started, "Barret, you Yuffie and Vincent see if you three can hurt the thing, then if not, equip one of your close range arms and all of us but Vincent, Cait, and Aeris will attack head on."

Everyone looked around at each other agreeing that this was the best plan they had. Barret, Yuffie, and Vincent then started out ahead of the others down the stairs.

_I have a feeling bullets and Yuffie's shuriken aren't going to help us very much here..._

**_I have a feeling you're right Vinny._**

_I wasn't talking to you._

_**You should know that by now I'm always here, just like the other three.**_

_I know..._

_**Speaking of those three, you think Chaos is ever going to wake up?**_

_I hope not, I also hope the other two forever keep their mouths shut, you're enough of a nuisance._

_**I'm hurt Vinny, truly and deeply.**_

_Good._

With that Vincent ceased the conversation in his mind and brought himself back to the present. He could see the monster now as they were heading over to a ladder to continue their descent. It was fairly dangerous looking he admitted.

They went down one more ladder after that one, having to flip the bottom part down first though, apparently someone had flipped it up wanting no one to be able to make it to Nibelheim from Rocket Town. Without some difficulty that is.

After they all made it down Cloud went towards a rock that would hide them from the monsters view and motioned the others over to him. "Okay everyone, this is it, check your materia and equipment before we go."

Vincent made sure he had all of his materia set correctly and then checked his Peacemaker to make sure the gun was fully loaded. He then looked around and noticed everyone else was finished with their preparations as well.

"Well," Cloud sighed, "Vincent, Yuffie, and Barret, you ready?" Vincent shook his head yes and assumed the others did so as well for Cloud then turned around and said one last word, "Go."

Vincent then walked right up to the rock and glanced around at the beast from the side. He motioned for Barret to take the other side and Yuffie looked like she was ready to just jump up on top of the boulder for her attack so Vincent let her be.

Vincent noticed Barret looking at him and figured he was supposed to give the signal. So Vincent looked one more time to find a place to shoot and decided he would aim for a leg joint. Then he looked back at Barret and nodded before jumping around the corner with his gun blazing.

Vincent flew about ten feet before he landed and rolled to a crouching position before he heard his gun start clicking. As he reloaded he saw Yuffie fly up into the air and throw her shuriken at the creature only to have it bounce off like a rubber ball on the ground. When Vincent finished loading his gun he started shooting again, this time for the creature's face.

Everyone heard a scream of pain from the beast as Vincent hit him square in the eye. Vincent then aimed for the other eye to blind the creature. He knew the others would have to kill the thing though seeing as the eyes were the only weak points. Vincent then took out the other eye and signed for the others to make their moves.

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Tifa saw that Barret's bullet we're doing nothing to harm the creature and she started getting a worried feeling in her gut. When Yuffie's shuriken bounced off of the thing she knew that they were all going to have to fight.

She then heard a scream of pain from the monster as she saw one of it's eyes get blown out. She looked over and saw Vincent taking careful aim once again before the other eye was blown away. He then motioned for her and the others to move forward and attack the creature.

Cloud ran forward with his sword raised high ready to cut through any part of the creature that he could. Aeris stood back waiting for her restore materia to be needed. Tifa then saw Red jump towards the thing claws outstretched. When Yuffie was running to grab her shuriken and Barret was changing his arm for close up combat, Tifa decided it was her turn to attack.

As Tifa was running forward she saw Yuffie get thrown away from the creature with a nasty looking cut on her side, but before Yuffie hit the ground she was engulfed in a green glow as Aeris used a Cure 2 spell on her.

Tifa knew that if Anything happened Aeris was there so she cast most of her worries aside and ran forward at the creature trying to spot any vulnerable spots for attacking.

When she reached the monster she decided that she would just attack anywhere she could while avoiding all six of the things legs. Tifa jumped up into the air and delivered a good punch, kick combination to the creature's head before jumping away as its horn blew by her.

Tifa landed on the ground on her feet and was startled when the creature was coming straight towards her, _It must have healed it's eyes... _Tifa though before a leg was slammed into the ground right in front of her.

Tifa heard a triumphant shout from Cloud then as the monsters tail hit the ground, _Guess he found a weak spot, _Tifa mused,_ shame it has to be somewhere like it's tail._ Tifa then saw the creature charging up a spell and jumped away just in the nic of time as the area in front of her was covered with a huge triangle shaped area filled with electricity.

As Tifa jumped back she heard a pained cry from Barret and Cloud as the two were sideswiped with one of the being's legs. She refused to look towards the two, her and Yuffie were the only ones fighting the thing now as Red was helping Aeris, Vincent, and Cait Sith, after giving up his hopeless assault. Tifa saw the creature charging up another spell, and she noticed that ti was about to cast it before she could jump out of the way this time. She braced herself for the imminent jolt she was about to received when she heard two gunshots.

Tifa looked up and saw Vincent standing there Peacemaker smoking and the creature was now blind again. Tifa didn't waste this opportunity as she jumped up and started pummeling on the monsters neck hoping to hit a weak spot and break it or at least bruise it enough for Cloud's sword to be able to cut through it. She never even saw the middle leg head towards her before she was knocked away from the monster.

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Vincent's eyes widened as he saw the leg moving toward Tifa, he knew that even if he did warn her it would be too late. Vincent ran forward hoping to catch Tifa after the monster had hit her. He then saw the impact and immediately felt sorry for the girl. She was thrown like a rag doll away from the creature and Vincent could tell she was either out cold, or teetering between consciousness and unconsciousness. He then jumped towards her and realized that she was moving too fast for him to simply catch her, but he didn't care.

Vincent felt some of his breath get knocked out of him as she collided with him mid-air. He then wrapped his arms around her ready to take the entire blow from the impact they would surely make all too soon. Vincent and Tifa crashed into a wall of the cavern and the sound that the impact caused told that if Vincent was any normal man he would surely be dead.

Vincent felt himself slide down the wall with Tifa still in his arms and yelled at Cloud as he was starting to approach them, undoubtedly to make sure Tifa was still alive.

"We're fine," Vincent shouted in the swordsman's direction. "Cut through the neck where Tifa softened it up." Cloud looked bewildered at Vincent's statement. Vincent felt himself start to lose conciseness, the pain was just too much for the man.

"Hurry, before it heals itself." Cloud nodded at this, and the last thing Vincent saw before he blacked out was the monsters head falling towards the ground.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Hey everyone, I have this chapter out pretty quickly beause it'll be awhile before I can get the next one out. I hope you enjoy it, now on to the story...

Disclaimer: If I owned Final Fantasy 7 I would be rich and Vincent would have had his own game come out LONG ago. Which his game isn't out yet and won't be out for awhile so there you have it, I don't own squat.

Chapter 7

Tifa awoke with a strange sense of security, but she didn't know why until she opened her eyes. Tifa was looking straight up into Vincent's face. He was out cold and she noticed he still had her wrapped securely in his arms. She was about to question why she was wrapped up in his arms until her memory came flooding back to her.

_I remember flying through the air after something big slammed into my back... then I remember hitting something soft and warm in midair, before crashing into the wall. _Tifa then looked up at Vincent and knew the answer, he had saved her... again.

Tifa was about to jump up and make sure Vincent was okay, that is, until she felt his steady heartbeat on her arms that were pushed into his chest. Tifa then felt his breath tickling her hair so she decided she would snuggle up into Vincent's warmth until the others came around, besides, she couldn't remember a time when she had been more comfortable.

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When Vincent felt himself starting to wake up he felt a foreign weight pressing down on his chest. He looked down and saw Tifa still held close against him. He immediately felt himself blush with this being the _third_ time since he'd met the girl that she'd been this close to him. His beloved Lucrecia had never even been this close to him three times. Vincent decided he would stay there until Tifa woke up though, he could her breathing and feel her heartbeat so he would just let her rest.

All of a sudden Vincent felt six pairs of eyes fixed on him. He then remembered that he and Tifa weren't the only ones there. Vincent blushed slightly as he started to wake up Tifa.

"Tifa..." he shook her lightly but with no response, "Tifa? Are you ok?" With that Tifa lifted her head up and told him yes softly before laying her head back down on his chest.

"Thank you for saving me once again Vincent," Tifa said as she closed her eyes once again. Vincent was really blushing now, Tifa was perfectly fine and awake yet still wouldn't let go of him. He then started noticing everyone start giving him amused glances. He decided he should try to get Tifa off of him again.

Vincent then whispered into Tifa's ear, "Everyone's staring at us, if you wish to talk to me privately later you need only ask, but for now we should probably get up."

Tifa then jolted up obviously she had forgotten about everyone else. Vincent noticed Tifa blush madly as she reached a hand out to him to help him up before she turned her gaze back to the ground.

_Peculiar girl..._ he thought, _wonder why she seems so embarrassed?_

**_She has a crush on you Vinny, a blind man could see that._**

_Will you quit it demon, there is no way possible she could think of me in that way._

_**Whatever you say Dumbo.**_

Vincent quirked an eyebrow at this new nickname but decided he would just drop the topic in his head, considering the weird looks he got from the ones who noticed him quirk his eyebrow.

Cloud then coughed to get everyone's attention, "We should go ahead and move out, seeing as Tifa and Vincent are both uninjured and everyone else seems fine as well."

"Yea, I don't want to be here any longer than need be," Aeris added.

Yuffie then approached Tifa and handed her something that looked like a glove, "Here ya go Tifa, I found this on top of that boulder before the fight." Tifa took the weapon from Yuffie and thanked her before examining it and putting it in her pack.

Vincent then reloaded his gun ready for anything else to happen as they were leaving the mountain. After Vincent finished his task he looked up at everyone else who also seemed to be checking their equipment, Cloud attached a new support materia to his sword that Vincent guessed he'd found after the battle, and then they were off.

Vincent walked behind everyone else constantly looked around for any possible enemies. Every time he saw one he'd aim, shoot, and then reload. After awhile of this the others got used to it and stopped turning around to look at him whenever he shot something.

Vincent then let his eyes fall upon Tifa's figure as she walked ahead chattering with Aeris about only God knows what. Vincent then thought he saw a hint of a blush appear on Tifa's face as Aeris seemingly interrogated her

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"Aeris I have no idea what you're talking about." Tifa said as Aeris kept bombarding her with questions.

"Comeon, I saw that blush, and you didn't even get up when you were awake, you just laid back down." Aeris said looking at Tifa as poor Tifa squirmed under her gaze.

"I-I.. don't know what you're talking about," Tifa said trying to get her friend off the subject.

"You like him don't you?" Aeris asking with a smile on her face. "I can't blame you though, he's definitely a very good looker, even after thirty years of sleep in a coffin."

Tifa blushed, "I don't know Aeris, I mean, we've only known each other for two days, and he's already saved me twice, once risking his life, and saved you and Cloud once as well, also risking his life," Tifa paused here, "I guess I just feel safe with him."

Aeris looked quizzically at her friend, "I can understand how you feel, when Cloud saved me from Reno and those other Shinra soldiers I just felt really safe with him, you never knew, he just might be the 'one'," Aeris then winked at Tifa. "You got your job cut out for you there though, he certainly doesn't seem like a very social person," Aeris finished looking her friend in the eye.

"Aeris please, like I said I've only known him for two days, and who's to say he would even think that way about me, I remember hearing him call out a woman's name on more than one occasion now," _I still want to ask him about that, _Tifa thought to herself before continuing, "plus, like I said, I doubt he could even think of me that way."

Aeris scoffed at this, "Tifa look at yourself, I doubt many men could not think of you in that way."

At this Tifa looked at her friend before replying, "Aeris, I want a guy who see me for who I am, not a guy who just likes my body, and even if one did I'm sure he'd turn away at the sight of that hideous scar I got from Sephiroth." Tifa had tears in her eyes upon finishing, just the thought of her scar brought back too many painful memories for her to bear.

"I'm sorry for bring it up Tifa," Aeris said as she hugged her friend softly, "we'll get him back for what he did, I promise." With that Aeris gave Tifa one last squeeze before heading further up the path to go talk to Cloud.

_That bastard... _Tifa thought to herself at the thought of the white-haired madman. Tifa was so engrossed in her own thoughts she hadn't even noticed Vincent come up from behind her until she heard him same her name.

"Are you alright?" he asked her with his normal detached voice, but Tifa thought she could see concern in his eyes.

"Yes, just thinking about everything Sephiroth took from me," Tifa answered Vincent through clenched teeth. She hated Sephiroth more than anyone could ever know.

"I'm sorry," Tifa heard Vincent say, snapping her out of her thoughts, "it is my fault Sephiroth was brought into this world," with that Tifa saw Vincent hang his head in guilt.

"What are you talking about?" Tifa asked the gunman, totally confused as to how he could think it was his fault Sephiroth became what he was.

"Exactly what I said," Vincent answered still looking at the ground. "If I would have protected her, Sephiroth would not be the man he has become," Vincent finished.

"Protected who?" Tifa asked dumbly, totally confused at Vincent's demeanor.

Vincent then gazed up at the sky before answering her, "...Lucrecia."

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Vincent kept gazing up at the sky after answering Tifa's question. _Why do I keep telling her these things...? _Vincent silently mused to himself. _I've only known her for two days now, and I'm already opening up to her._

_**Looks like she isn't the only one with a crush...**_

_Watch your words demon, _Vincent barked back at Galian in his mind.

_**Touchy, touchy, Vinny.**_

_You know nothing of me or my feelings, why must you keep aggravating me so?_

_**Because you look cute when you're angry, and it's just so fun. **_

Vincent then heard the demon burst out into laughter inside his mind. "Damn demon..." he said aloud, unknowingly.

"What did you say?" asked Tifa.

_Aww hell, _thought Vincent, "Nothing," he said hoping she would either believe him or drop the subject.

"Oh, ok..." Tifa answered letting her gaze fall back to the mountain path ahead of them.

_At least she dropped it, _Vincent thought to himself, _there's no telling what she'd think if I told her I kept having conversations with a sarcastic, crazy demon in my head._

**_I heard that! _**Vincent heard Galian say, **_In all honesty she probably wouldn't be surprised, you turned into a demon already, what more would talking to the same one in your head be?_**

_She'd probably think me mad. _Vincent finished.

**_What's it matter if she does? It's like you like her or anything... _**Vincent felt Galian smirk at this then cursed the demon once more, this time more quietly so Tifa couldn't hear him.

Next thing Vincent knew he looked up to see strolling fields of green in front of him, they had finally made it out of the mountains.

"It's nice to finally be able to see some green," Vincent heard Tifa say beside him as she stretched her arms out. He could see Rocket town in the distance and was actually feeling himself relieved to be able to sleep in a warm bed, his back was killing him from his earlier stunt.

"I can't wait to take a nice warm shower..." Vincent heard Tifa remark again, but this time with a dreamy tone in her voice. He almost laughed, almost. But in truth Vincent couldn't wait to take a shower either. It had been thirty years since his last one, and he had just been burnt to a crisp and slammed into a wall.

**_Yea, you wouldn't listen to me ALL those times I told you to get up and shower, and NOW you can't wait to have one. You should listen to me more often Vinny._**

_I never had a reason to shower before demon, _Vincent was really getting tired of Galian's comments.

_**And so being in a pretty woman's company constitutes as a reason?**_

_Why won't you just shut up about Tifa? _Vincent asked the demon, he'd had enough of the Galian's remarks and jibes.

_**Aww... comeon Vinny, even you can't deny that che's very beautiful.**_

_I never said she wasn't, but you are also looking to much into my opinion of her._

**_Don't start this up again, we've already had this conversation._**

_Indeed we have, so shut up._

Galian then kept quiet, much to Vincent's delight. He was glad to have his mind silent once again for a bit. But then Tifa's voice broke him out of his peaceful solace.

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"What are you planning on doing once we reach Rocket Town?" Tifa asked the stoic gunman, not really expecting an answer. But once again he surprised her.

"I'm going to check out a weapon's store, I'm hoping to find another gun in case something should happen to this one..." Vincent replied holding out the Peacemaker.

"Really?" Tifa asked again, very happy that Vincent had answered all of her questions for quite a while now.

"Yes, I also must buy more bullets," Vincent then put the Peacemaker away.

Tifa then looked at Vincent's appearance and noticed how beaten up he looked after the trip over the mountains, she then got a great idea.

"Well that makes sense, want me to help you find some more clothes to wear?" Tifa asked indicating his battered outfit. "I mean if it wasn't for me and my friends you wouldn't have had you're clothes ruined, sorry."

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Vincent was totally taken aback by her offer, he thought for a second before he replied, "There is no need to apologize, and you may accompany me while I find some more clothes, if you wish."

Vincent noticed Tifa's face light up in a smile before he looked back towards Rocket Town, he knew what was coming next from his 'friend'.

_**Told you so... **_

_Oh shut up... _Vincent replied to the demon as he continued toward Rocket Town following behind the others with Tifa at his side, humming happily, of course.

A/N: If any of you are wondering where the 'Told you so...' from Galian came from it's back in the beginning of chapter six when Galian tells Vincent that maybe Tifa can help him shop. And I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I'm going to go on a trip tonight and I won't be back until late Tuesday night so I hope to have the next chapter up either Thursday or Friday. Please review. Jaa.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Hey everyone, I'm so sorry this took so long to get out but I've had some things pop up lately and I also encountered another horrible writer's block. But I actually have a plan for the next chapter and some more for the upcoming ones, so I'm hoping to have those out quicker. Anyways I hope you all like the chapter, and please review.

Disclaimer: If I owned Final Fantasy 7 I would be rich and Vincent would have had his own game come out LONG ago. Which his game isn't out yet and won't be out for a while so there you have it, I don't own squat.

Chapter 8

Vincent was looking at a shotgun in a store to the left of the town's entrance when Tifa walked up smiling cheerful as ever.

"Wow, how much is that?" Tifa asked Vincent as he appraised the weapon.

"3100 gil, although I personally wouldn't pay more than 2000 for it." Vincent stated giving the gun another look over.

"Well, is it better than the gun we found in Kalm?" Tifa asked.

"...yes." Vincent reluctantly told her. At that Tifa placed the 3100 gil on the counter.

Needless to say Vincent was somewhat surprised that Tifa would just toss 3100 gil on the table like it was nothing, but then again this is Avalanche.

Vincent looked at Tifa questioningly before she answered his unspoken question. "We've gotten plenty of gil going all over the world, so don't worry about the cost, you're part of the group now," with that she winked at him and left him there to think over what she said.

"She's a pretty one," the shopkeeper said turning to Vincent.

"... I'll take two boxes of shotgun shells," Vincent said giving the man a glare that clearly said, 'Don't go there.'

"Ok... that'll be 100 gil." the shopkeeper answered feeling uneasy under Vincent's crimson gaze.

Vincent handed the man the money then walked out of the store with his new gun and began loading it with cartridges.

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"So... whatcha thinking about?"

Tifa started at the unexpected question and looked up to see Aeris's smiling face.

"Oh... nothing much."

"Come on Tifa, something's on your mind... you can tell me," Aeris then looked at Tifa with pleading eyes as she sat down.

"Just... everything." Tifa answered unsurely. "Sephiroth, you and Cloud," at this Aeris looked down somewhat, "Vincent, the whole journey, and just everyone." _I still have some things I'm meaning to ask Vincent as well_ Tifa thought to herself.

"Look Tifa... about me and Cloud," Aeris started.

"Hey Aeris, like I said back in the mountains, it's fine. So don't worry," Tifa then flashed Aeris a quick smile before looking out into the distance.

"Oh, so what else is on your mind?"

"Like I said Sephiroth, the journey and just everyone," Tifa looked up to the sky, _And of course Vincent, although that is something I would like to keep to myself._

"So... you miss Midgar?"

"Sometimes, but then I look around and see all the new friends I've met and realize, that I've never felt as much at home since I left Nibelheim as I do with everyone here."

"Yea... I miss my mom," Tifa looked at Aeris and saw her gazing at the ground, "but I'm sure I'll be able to see her again someday soon." Aeris finished looking straight at Tifa and a slight smirk started to grace her features.

"Wanna go shopping?"

"Great idea!" Tifa exclaimed, "first we need to find Vincent though."

Aeris looked confusedly at Tifa at this, "Find Vincent...?"

"Yea, we have to get him some new clothes, I mean, look at his clothes, they got so damaged while he was fighting to save us."

Aeris looked thoughtful for a minute then scrunched up her face, "You're right, let's go find him." With that Aeris stood up and straightened out her dress before lending a hand to Tifa to help her up.

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Vincent was walking around when all of a sudden he got a feeling of foreboding. He looked up then and saw Tifa waving at him with Aeris walking along beside her.

_Ahh crap, I don't like where this is going..._

_**You agreed to go shopping with her, not me.**_

_Have to rub it in don't you?_

_**But of course my gloomy friend.**_

_You'd think with you being stuck with me for the rest of eternity, you'd be a little more cooperative with me._

_**Where's the fun in that?**_

Vincent was about to reply to the demon when he noticed Tifa was right in his face, quite literally actually.

"Anyone home?" she asked waving a hand in front of his face.

"...sorry." Vincent replied before stepping back a little bit.

"What's up with that? I mean, sometimes you're here, and sometimes you're like... gone." Tifa was expressing herself with her hands quite comically as she was saying this and Vincent saw Aeris giggling a bit behind her.

"I was... thinking," _Or talking to an annoying demon in my head, _Vincent mused to himself.

_**I heard that.**_

_I know._

"SO... we're going to go shopping, want to some with us and get some new clothes? We'll pay." Tifa asked Vincent with hopeful eyes.

"Sure, and I can pay for my own clothes, but thank you." With that Vincent turned and nodded to Aeris then headed off toward the store.

"Umm... Vincent," Tifa called, "the store's this way."

... or wherever he thought the store was.

With that Vincent followed a chatting Aeris and Tifa for a day of shopping.

_What have I gotten myself into...?_

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Minutes later Tifa and Aeris were dragging Vincent through the door of the only clothes' shop in town. It looked more like a house with merchandise than a store, but that didn't matter to the two women.

"Ooo..." Tifa said in awe while eying a warm looking fur coat. Tifa then put the coat on and walked over to a mirror to see how it looked.

"Wow Tifa, that looks really good on you," Aeris said watching her friend spin around in the dark coat.

"It's nice and comfy too," Tifa stated while snuggling up into its warmth.

_Maybe I should get this, never know whether or not we'll end up some place cold..._ Tifa then looked at the price and nearly fell over.

"7500 gil, for a coat!" _I don't have enough left of my share of gil for this... _Just then Vincent's presence brought Tifa out of her thoughts.

"Here, it's the least I can do," with that Vincent handed Tifa 7500 gil then walked off to find the store's owner, well Tifa guessed that's where he was going.

Aeris then walked over and nudged Tifa's side, "I think someone has a silent admirer."

"Oh come on Aeris," Tifa then looked at the gil in her hand. "But... I can't take this, I need to go give it back to him, it's just too much."

"Tifa, I know how you feel, but I don't think Vincent's the type to just take the money back. He seems too... gentlemanly." Aeris finished looking quite thoughtful. "Plus," she then winked at Tifa, "I think he might just want to see you in it." Aeris then walked away giggling while looking for a coat for herself.

Tifa scoffed, "Yeah right."

_This IS a really nice coat..._ Tifa thought to herself still looking in the mirror, _and it would be rude to just give him back the money like I didn't appreciate it or anything... _Just then Tifa heard Aeris asked her something.

"How's this one look?"

Aeris was standing there with a pink coat that had white fur around the rim of it, and it went along with her pink dress very well.

"It looks great," Tifa told her, "how much does it cost?"

Aeris smiled at Tifa, "Only 3000."

"Wow, you should get it then, never know when we might wander some place cold."

"Ok, I think I will, and umm... where's Vincent?"

Tifa looked around for the gunman until she remembered that he'd walked off earlier, "Umm... I'm not sure, we were supposed to be getting him some new clothes."

Just then as if on cue Vincent walked back up to the two girls wearing a black t-shirt and some black sweat pants. He still had his bandanna on but the shirt and pants looked new.

_Wow... he's so... wow. _Coherent thought evaded Tifa at that moment. This was the first time she saw him without his cloak covering his face, when she could actually _look_ at him. Before, they were fighting and she wasn't paying as much attention, but now he held such an ethereal beauty Tifa gaped at him. Aeris was right beside her however, with quite similar thoughts going through her head.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Vincent quirked an eyebrow up at the two women who were ogling him. "I've asked the owner here to repair my clothes, they should be ready by tomorrow."

Vincent's voice must have broken the women out of their trances because Tifa was now shaking her head.

"What did you say? Sorry... I kind of zoned out there." Tifa had a blush growing across her face as she said this and Aeris was starting to blush as well, having already snapped out of her thoughts.

_Zoned... out...? _Vincent thought to himself. He decided to ignore her comment and answer her question. "The owner of this store will be repairing my clothes, they'll be done tomorrow."

"Oh," Tifa replied, "well I guess we're done here then, Aeris let's go pay for our coats."

Aeris nodded her head at Tifa and started looking around for the counter which she spotted near the door. "The counter's over there Tifa," with that Aeris headed off.

Vincent watched Tifa smile at him before she followed after Aeris.

_**So, Vinny... **_

_What now demon?_ Vincent interrupted, heading off after the two women.

_**What was up with giving Tifa the money for that coat, that was all you had.**_

_One kind deed in return deserves another. _

_**I think you just want to see her in it.**_

_Will you stop it with that?_

_**With what?**_

_Implying that I would have romantic feelings or an attraction to Tifa._

_**You're not attracted to her? Vinny, Come on.**_

_You know what I mean. _Vincent snapped back at Galian.

_**I think you do have feelings for her.**_

_I'm telling you I don't. I couldn't either, feelings of that nature are only for those deserving of them and I am anything but deserving._

_**Not this shit again Vinny. You need to cram the past down the toilet and live in the now.**_

_You need to watch your mouth beast._

_**Fine, but think about it, would Lucrecia really want for you to be like this.**_

_Shut up demon. I'm tired of your ramblings._

**_Fine, but just think about it. _**With that said Galian retreated back into the recesses of Vincent's mind thinking to himself, _I hope this Tifa, can talk some sense into ol' Vinny here._

"You coming Vincent?" Vincent heard Tifa ask. He then looked up to see Tifa looking at him right in the eye with the hint of a blush creeping up on her face again.

Vincent just nodded his head and followed after her.

A couple of minutes later Vincent, Tifa, and Aeris all reached the inn and saw Cloud just now getting the room keys they would need for the night. Aeris ran up to and immediately began talking to him. Vincent then saw her pull her coat out and put it on, then spin around as the swordsman watched and told her that it looked good on her.

Tifa then turned to Vincent and he could see a slight hint of pain in her eyes but it was only for a moment. _She really seems to be getting over Cloud quickly, _Vincent thought to himself.

"I'm going to go take my shower now, unless you would like to shower first." Tifa offered.

"I am fine, go ahead." With that Vincent turned to walk away but still heard Tifa's thanks before her footsteps sounded up the stairs.

Vincent then walked around the town aimlessly thinking about anything that came to mind. Mostly all of this business with Sephiroth, and of course... Lucrecia. All of a sudden Vincent remembered the rocket and decided that would be the perfect place for him to go and brood over things in solitude.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Hey everyone, this chapter was also later than what I was expecting and the next one will be too. I'm at my dad's house in Panama city right now and I don't have much time on the computer because I have to share the comp with my sisters. And when I am on I'm usually having to do some schoolwork (virtual school) and that takes up all of my time. I must apologize again for the long wait. Hope you all enjoy the chapter. Please review.

Disclaimer: If I owned Final Fantasy 7 I would be rich and Vincent would have had his own game come out LONG ago. Which his game isn't out yet and won't be out for a while so there you have it, I don't own squat.

Chapter 8

_Finally, _Tifa thought. _A nice warm shower..._ Tifa had just undressed and was letting the warm water cascade down her slender shoulders into the tub beneath her feet.

_That was nice of Vincent to let me have the first shower... but then again he has been nothing but a gentleman for the whole time I've known him. _Tifa's thoughts continued drifting to the dark gunslinger as she started running her hands through her hair.

_It's also a shame that wears that cloak all of the time, he is definitely one of the most handsome men I've ever known, after you get past the crimson eyes and golden claw of course. _Tifa then felt herself blush as she was starting to think of how Vincent's slightly built chest felt as she was being held in his arms after the battle with that monster ion the reactor.

_Get a hold of yourself Tifa, he's obviously not interested in you, speaking of that... you still have to go ask him about those things he was saying during the time after his transformation. _As Tifa thought of this she remembered that he initially got injured because he saved Aeris and Cloud, which is who her thoughts turned to next.

Tifa started to feel a pain in her heart as she thought of her childhood friend and the flower girl that was like a sister to her. _At least it doesn't hurt to think of them two as much as it used too..._ Tifa mused.

_Maybe I'm actually accepting the fact that he wants_ _to be with her instead of me, plus, they just look so happy together. _Tifa smiled at that thought as she was rinsing the shampoo out of her hair.

_I'm sure I'll find my Mr. Right sooner or later, Cloud isn't the only good looking man in the world. Speaking of good-looking men, I wonder what Vincent's doing right now? _With that Tifa stepped out of the shower anddried off before getting dressed.

As Tifa stepped out of the shower room she saw Aeris coming up with a towel slung over her shoulder, "Hey, finally done?"

"Yea," Tifa replied, "have you seen Vincent anywhere?" Tifa then asked her friend.

"Umm... last time I saw him, he was heading out of the door." Aeris then got this twinkle in her eye and Tifa immediately became wary of what she was gonna say.

"Why do you wanna know? Hoping to be able to have a romantic conversation with him under the stars tonight?" With that Aeris headed into the bathroom.

"NO," Tifa said before Aeris shut the door. Aeris turned around to look at Tifa after her short outburst.

"I just have some things I want to ask him," Tifa started to blush and then Aeris giggled as she shut the door.

"Have a nice chat with Mr. Mysterious Tifa," Aeris finished before Tifa heard the faucet to the tub turned on.

_Stupid Aeris, always making me think of Vincent, then implying that I have a crush on him. _Tifa blushed at this as she continued on her way toward the door. _I don't have a crush on him... do I? _

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

_Lucrecia... _Vincent thought as he sat atop the rocket now watching the sun start to go down, _I'm sorry that I failed you, there is so much more I could have done, but I was too stupid, ignorant, to see that what was going on with you would kill you. I should have done something to stop the madness, but now look at things. I'm a monster, a failure, and you're... dead. I deserve every bit of grief I have. For your death and your pain are all my fault. I was a fool..._

Just then the sight of Tifa leaving the inn brought Vincent out of his dark thoughts.

_What is she doing out here?_

_**Probably looking for you.**_

_I didn't ask you demon._

_**Yes you did, you asked yourself, and I am a part of you, so therefore you asked me whether it be indirectly or-**_

_FINE! I get it. I'll just have to keep from voicing my thoughts even in my head now you pesky thing._

_**Good luck with that.**_

Vincent was about to start arguing with the demon once more when a presence nearby drug him out of his thoughts. He looked over to his right and saw none other than the beautiful Tifa Lockheart climbing up the rocket toward him.

"Would you like a hand?" Vincent asked reaching down to help her up, he figured it would be rude if he just sat there watching her struggle up the last bit, which he knew to be the hardest part of the climb.

Tifa gratefully grabbed his hand with a mumbled 'thanks' before Vincent effortlessly pulled her up on top of the rocket while making sure to keep his balance so they both wouldn't slide off of the thing.

"That's quite a climb..." Tifa said looking back down the way she came up. "It's got a beautiful view though."

"Yes," Vincent replied to her monotonously, "it does."

After a couple of minutes of comfortable silence Tifa turned to Vincent. "So what were you doing up here?"

"Thinking."

"Mind talking about it?" Tifa inquired of him.

"..."

Tifa took that as a 'no', or so Vincent assumed.

"Can I ask you a question?" Tifa then asked after another short silence.

"I can't keep you from asking, whether I answer or not depends on the question." Vincent then turned his crimson gaze to look into Tifa's wine-colored eyes as he awaited her question.

"What does Hojo have to do with you?" Tifa asked him.

"... that would be a difficult question to answer," Vincent replied, "the answer has a long story behind it."

"Well, we have all night, and I like long stories." Tifa then smiled up at Vincent.

Vincent was about to tell Tifa he didn't feel like it when all of a sudden he felt the memories coming back to him, ready to be told to an audience. He guessed it was her smile, or the way the moon made her hair shine, maybe even her scent that made him feel like telling her, but he wasn't sure and never would be sure why. Vincent then began recalling his story.

"It all started around 30 years ago," Vincent began.

"As I said before, I was a Turk working for Shinra. One day the president came up to me and told me he was giving me a special mission, I was to escort two scientists to Nibelheim and see to their protection until their experiments were complete." Vincent took a slow breath before he continued past this point.

"Those two scientists were partners on the Jenova project that was being run by Professor Gast from Midgar. They were Professor Hojo," Vincent's eyes grew cold and narrowed, but then they softened as he spoke the next few words, "and a beautiful scientist named... Lucrecia."

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Tifa was surprised at the gentleness his eyes took as he spoke that one name. _He must have really loved her,_ she thought before he continued.

"I only saw Lucrecia every once in awhile when we would cross paths in the hallway or something, but every time I'd glance at her she would smile lightly and then turn away as I saw a blush rise up on her face. Then one day we actually saw each other at the breakfast table and had a nice conversation. During which I was able to conjure up enough courage to ask her to lunch with me that afternoon, which she agreed to, much to my surprise. After that she headed off back to the basement and I headed off to check out the town as was my daily routine."

"When noon came along, I found myself waiting outside of the mansion's gates. And when I saw Lucrecia walk out my breath caught in my throat. She was so beautiful, and how she managed to pull off that beauty even in a lab coat I'll never exactly know but I couldn't take my eyes off of her."

"We had a nice chat over our meal, and she told me about some of the experiment's that she and Hojo we're sent here to do, I never saw much of Hojo, he was always in the basement and when he did come out was a very unhappy individual so I avoided him as much as I could. I never thought he would be insane enough to do what he did, or Lucrecia's love for science enough for her to give him the permission for what he did."

Tifa wondered at what Vincent was talking about but decided she would wait until he was done talking completely before she spoke up again. Just then Vincent continued.

"Mine and Lucrecia's relationship steadily proceeded through the months, until one day she didn't meet me at the place we usually met for lunch. I'd searched all over the town for her, but she wasn't anywhere to be found. After awhile I gave up and decided to go back into the mansion, which is actually where I found her, passed out on the couch in a cold sweat. Needless to say I was very worried about her, I loved her. But when she awoke she told me she must have just been a little too hot. I of course didn't believe that for one second."

"Then a couple of days later I confronted Lucrecia about it and she told me everything," at this point Tifa saw a flash of pain in Vincent's eyes but once again decided she would wait until he was finished talking. She was afraid if she said anything he wouldn't finish the story, he had only known her for a short time and Tifa could easily guess he had told no one else of these things.

"She told me that she was pregnant and that Hojo had injected Jenova cells into the unborn fetus, I of course couldn't believe she was doing this to herself, it was very dangerous. But apparently my criticism of her decision pushed her away, and next time I saw her she was with Hojo, crying into his arms. But, as long as she was happy, I didn't care, I would support her. That was my sin."

Tifa wondered at why he said it was his sin but once again refrained from asking any questions until the end of Vincent's story.

"The day Lucrecia gave birth to her child was the day she died, Hojo had taken her baby from her and left her in her room to die alone. I had already decided to let her do what she wanted and just watched what was going on. That day I went up to her room and she was asking for her child, I'd never seen her so weak. I promised her I'd get her child back from Hojo for her, and headed into the basement to find him. But when I got down there apparently he was already expecting me, he had this sinister grin on his face before I saw him pull something out from his lab coat, it was a small pistol."

Tifa noticed that now Vincent was touching his still human hand to his chest over where his heart was.

"He shot me that day, and even though I wasn't dead he still put me on a table down there in the basement, and began using me as his human guinea pig. Needless to say I wasn't human when he was done with me."

Tifa now saw his face fill with self disgust and loathing so strong she almost cried for the man right then and there. _How could Hojo have done something so horrible...? _Tifa thought holding a hand to her chest.

"When I awoke and found myself alone, I'd went looking for Lucrecia,I felt a new presence in my head and could tell that my body was different than before, but I still hadn't understood until later that what Hojo had done was put demons into me, to torment me day and night for the rest of eternity. For he had also ended my aging process, forever making me 27. I never found Lucrecia though, apparently she had died that day, and that was my sin, I let the one I loved, the one I respected most, face the worst."

Vincent hung his head as he stopped talking and Tifa immediately felt a part of her heart go out to the man. "Vincent," she started as she moved to touch his shoulder with her hand. Vincent however jerked away from her touch.

"Please don't touch me," he said to her and she felt a pain in her chest, "Nor should you feel sorry for me, I am a monster, and I deserve every bit of pain I have."

"Vincent, you're not a monster," Tifa began knowing a monster wouldn't have risked himself to save her friends or her like Vincent had.

"You don't know that," Vincent snapped back at her, "you don't know me or the horrible things I've done."

Tifa was startled at the angry glare in his eyes and felt herself scared of him for a moment before she remember how he had used his body to shield her from a sure death during the battle earlier that day.

"I... I'm sorry," Vincent said to Tifa after looking away. "I had no right to snap at you like that."

Tifa was about to tell Vincent that it was ok, when he abruptly stood up and looked down at her.

"I beg your leave," he said before he deftly jumped off of the rocket and Tifa then saw him head for the Inn.

_Vincent, how can you blame all of what happened on yourself? It wasn't your fault, but I can tell that you believe that it was. _Tifa then looked out in the distance and let her thoughts turn towards the dark gunslinger and the story of his past that she had just heard.

_I don't know what I can do, _Tifa thought to herself, _but I'll do something to ease your pain Vincent._


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Ok everyone, I know it's taking me awhile to update this, and I'm sure I've apologized enough but still, I'm sorry. So for all of you loyal reviewers of mine, I decided to make this chapter a little longer than my last couple of chapters. Anyways, enjoy, and please review. Thanks.

Disclaimer: If I owned Final Fantasy 7 I would be rich and Vincent would have had his own game come out LONG ago. Which his game isn't out yet and won't be out for a while so there you have it, I don't own squat.

Chapter 10

_I can't believe I snapped at her like that..._ Vincent thought to himself as he walked through the doors to the inn.

_**Yea, way to go smart guy.**_

_I'm not in the mood for your antics demon._

"Vincent."

Vincent turned his head to see who had called his name.

Cloud then spoke again, "I'm about to head off to bed but I just wanted to tell you that I found a plane we might be able to borrow in a backyard around here. Me, Aeris, and Barret are going to ask about it tomorrow."

"Ok," Vincent replied.

"Oh and would you please tell Tifa if you see her again tonight?" Cloud asked Vincent.

"I will."

"Thanks Vincent, goodnight." Vincent just nodded at Cloud as he headed up the stairs to his room.

Vincent was just turning around to head up to his own room when all of a sudden he heard the doors open and felt Tifa's presence behind him.

"Vincent," Tifa started, but stopped when Vincent turned to lock his blood red gaze onto her wine colored one.

"Cloud said for me to tell you that he, Aeris, and Barret are going to go ask about a small plane that they saw today when they awaken tomorrow. I would assume we are to stay here and await their return." With that said Vincent headed up the stairs for his room.

_**What? No goodnight or anything?**_

_No, I have already troubled her enough with my sins and problems._

Just then Vincent felt two arms encircle him from behind and he immediately stiffened.

"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself Vincent, and no matter what you say, I know you're not a monster." After that was said Vincent felt Tifa let go of him then he watched her as she headed up the stairs for her own room with her hair swaying side to side as she ascended the stairs.

_**I would say that she doesn't seem very 'troubled' by your problems Vinny.**_

Vincent just sighed as he headed for his room, Tifa's words swimming around in his head as he mentally scoffed at them.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The next morning Tifa awoke feeling more refreshed than she had in days. _It's so nice to wake up in nice warm bed for once._ She thought to herself. Just then Tifa heard cries from some of the townspeople that sounded an awful like, "Rufus is here!" but she knew that just couldn't be right.

Tifa then looked at the clock near her bed and saw that it was reaching close to one in the afternoon. _Oh well, I'll sleep a little longer, _she thought, _it's only a quarter to one after all._

Tifa then sprang up, _A quarter to one! _Tifa then glanced at the clock again to make sure she wasn't seeing things and then got up quickly to get a good morning shower before taking on the day she knew would be ahead of her and the rest of Avalanche.

_I wonder if Vincent got any sleep last night? _Tifa thought as she was stepping into the shower, _I'm sure he'd be up by now if he did anyways..._ and with that Tifa let her thoughts melt away as she cleansed her hair and body before stepping out to get dressed for the day ahead.

_I wonder how Cloud, Aeris, and Barret are doing with the business about the plane._ Tifa once again felt a little pang in her heart with the mention of her two friends, but it slipped away as she thought of the dark gunslinger who was now approaching her from down the hall. Apparently he had already gotten his clothes back from the clothing store, seeing as his red cloak was once again fastened around the bottom half of his face, so all you could see were his eerily colored eyes.

"Morning Vincent," Tifa stated and she saw him nod in reply. "Any word from Cloud or the others?"

"Yuffie, Red, and Cait Sith went out a little while earlier to find them and I volunteered to wait here for you to awaken."

_Aww,_ Tifa thought, _he volunteered to wait for me. _Just then a gunshot was heard in the distance and Tifa was jolted from her thoughts. Before she knew what was happening, she found herself being dragged downstairs by Vincent as he headed towards the door of the Inn to see what all the racket was about.

"What is it?" Tifa asked the stoic gunman.

"I do not know, but apparently something has come up." Vincent dead panned looking around for where the sound might be coming from.

Tifa then was able to hear the sound of a running plane in the distance as she saw a little fat guy, who looked suspiciously like the man they had seen in the president's office the day he was killed, fly lifelessly across the ground from a backyard. Then Tifa heard a slight scoff from Vincent, and as she looked in front of the house that all the racket was coming from she saw why.

Standing there in all his glory was Rufus Shinra chatting with a very disgruntled looking pilot. Tifa was about to run up and give him a piece of her mind, when she all of a sudden saw a little pink plane carrying Cloud, Aeris, and Barret come flying in from behind Rufus.

Tifa then watched as the pilot ran and jumped towards the plane to barely catch the tail of it as the Shinra guards, who accompanied the President, opened fire upon the plane as it was making a getaway.

"We must hurry," Tifa heard Vincent say as she now found herself wrapped up in his arms moving faster than any normal human should be able to move.

"What the hell is going on?" she asked Vincent as she now saw Nanaki running towards the plane as well.

"I do not know, but we need to catch up to Cloud and the others, lest we be left behind." Vincent said as he increased his speed, _If that's possible, _Tifa thought.

As Tifa and Vincent reached the plane Tifa looked up and saw a bullet graze the plane's wing and she knew they had lost any type of steering controls they had of the plane. "We'll never be able to get on the plane," she began, "it's too high up."

"We'll see about that..." Vincent said as Tifa felt him tense up then crouch down for a jump. _It's impossible, no one could make thi-, _"Eahh..." Tifa said as she was brought out of her thoughts and felt herself and Vincent flying through the air and getting closer to the plane by the second.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

**_Showing off Vinny? _**Galian asked his host with an amused tone in his mental voice.

_What are you talk about demon?_

_**You and I both know you could have reached the plane earlier, and then the jump would have been no problem.**_

_Why must you antagonize me so?_

_**It's my job Vinny, after thirty years you should know that by now.**_

"Wow..." Vincent heard Tifa exclaim as he sat her down upon the plane after a soft landing and told her quickly to grab onto anything she could while draping his arm around her just to make sure she wouldn't fall off.

"Emergency landing!" Vincent then heard Cloud shout over the roar of the engine, with Aeris wrapped protectively under one of his arms of course.

Just then Vincent heard the pilot he saw earlier add his own little comment in, "This's gonna be a big splash! Hold on to your drawers, an' don't piss in 'em!"

Upon hearing that Vincent looked forward to see just how close they were to hitting the water and tighten his grip on Tifa with his human arm, and his grip on the plane with his claw feeling the golden digits sink slightly into the metal.

**_Protecting your girlfriend? Hehe... _**Vincent heard the demon in his mind.

_Now is not the time for your childish teasing's, _Vincent then scolded the demon.

_**Yes, Vinny.**_

Vincent was about to make another retort to the demon when he felt Tifa clutch onto him suddenly instead of holding onto the plane.

"Vincent, I can't swim," he heard Tifa choke out.

"Don't worry," he told her, "I won't drop you. and if worse comes to worse, I am a very adept swimmer."

Just then Vincent felt the plane jerk as it hit the water and when the water hit him he felt Tifa start to slip from his arms. In an instant Vincent had let go of the plane and wrapped Tifa up in his good arm again, just before slamming his claw into the plane to keep them from sliding off into the water.

Vincent then looked down into Tifa's face and saw that her eyes were still clamped shut as she was apparently terrified still of falling into the water. Vincent then decided to try and get her to open her eyes.

"I told you I wouldn't drop you."

Upon hearing Vincent's voice Tifa opened her eyes and Vincent saw a smile creep up on her face as apparent relief flowed all throughout her features.

_Well that worked, _Vincent thought to himself, or it would've been had he not a pesky demon ever present in his mind.

_**You think? **_

_Will you ever just shut up and leave me be?_

_**Come on Vinny, really, that should be a no brainer.**_

_I should've guessed as much._

**_Yea, you should've._**

Vincent sighed at the demon's response and then looked up to see Cloud appear above him and Tifa offering a hand to help them up. Vincent then helped Tifa get up on the plane before pulling himself up by his claw. He the noticed that the plane was now sinking slightly, and saw the panicked looked on Tifa's face until the plane stopped just before the wings went underwater.

"Hey, where are Yuffie, Red, and Cait?" Vincent then heard Aeris ask as she walked over to Cloud's side, being careful not to slip off of the plane and into the water.

Vincent then started looking around for the three and pointed towards the land where they had come from when he spotted a flying Cait Sith, with a sick looking Yuffie on top, and a wet and aggravated looking Nanaki held in his moogle's arms.

"Well look at that." Vincent heard Barret say to the pilot.

"I don't give a rat's ass about the damned flying cat, look at my fucking plane, she's wrecked." Vincent decided this was not a man young children should be around right off the bat, but then, who was he to be talking.

"Well Cid, can't we use it as a boat?" Vincent heard Cloud ask the pilot, whom he deemed to be named Cid.

"Fuck, do whatever you want." Cid said, looking fairly peeved.

Cloud spoke up next, "Cid, what are you going to do now?"

"Dunno. I'm history with the Shinra and I've given up on the town."

"How 'bout your wife? How 'bout Shera?"

Cid then had look of disgust wash over his face, "Wife? Don't make me laugh! Just thinkin' 'bout marryin' her gives me the chills." Cid then looked around at everyone, "What're you guys gonna do?"

Cloud responded then for everyone, "We're going after a man named Sephiroth. We'll have to get Rufus of the Shinra someday, too."

_And of course... Hojo as well. _Vincent thought as Cid was looking thoughtful.

Cid then spoke up again, "I don't know about any of that, but... What the hell? Sign me up!"

Cloud then looked around at the group, "How about it, everyone?"

He got a sure and no problem from everyone else before looking to Vincent, "Well...?"

"...do whatever you like," Vincent replied.

Cid clapped Cloud on the back then, "Glad to be aboard, numbskulls!"

"Numbskulls...?" Cloud repeated.

"Yeah. Anyone stupid enough to go up against Shinra nowadays, has GOTTA be a numbskull! I like it! So, where we headed?" Cid then looked around at everyone before speaking up again, "Rufus was goin' after Sephiroth towards the Temple of the Ancients."

Cloud piked up at this and Aeris looked just as eager to hear what Cid had to say, but it was Cloud who spoke, "Really? ...Where is it? That Temple of the Ancients?"

"Hell, I dunno. That numbskull kid was tellin' me he was headin' 'The wrong direction'... so maybe it's off this way?" Cid finished pointing off away from Rocket Town.

"Well," Cloud started, "let's just head for land and get some information. Temple of the Ancients... that name bothers me."

Vincent then looked towards Aeris and saw her in deep thought. _Well... seems like this is getting more and more interesting day by day._

_**I hear ya, glad to see you're being friendlier with Tifa as well.**_

_What Galian? _Vincent asked the demon, confused beyond all reason.

_**Look down.**_

When Vincent looked down he didn't know what to say or think, because there was Tifa Lockheart cuddled up against him snoring slightly. Vincent decided he would let her rest and the brushed a stray hair out of her face behind her ear and let a small smile grace his lips before he realized what he was doing a drew his hand back away from her face.

_I'll just let her sleep, _he thought to himself, _but why do I all of a sudden feel so comfortable with her here, I didn't even notice her crawl over here and get into my lap._

_**I know why... hehehe.**_

_Oh, do you now? _Vincent asked the demon, _Then do enlighten me please._

**_Where would the fun in that be? _**Galian then remarked as Vincent could feel the laughter bubbling inside of the demon.

Vincent then decided he would worry about this all later. Right now, Vincent just looked at the beauty he was holding in his arms as he realized more time must have passed since they left the Inn than he thought. Vincent caught himself entranced by the way the moon lit up Tifa's face and didn't look away from her until he heard Cloud speaking to him above the snores of the rest of the group.

"Hey Vince? You don't mind if I call you Vince do you?"

"It's better than Vinny," Vincent told him, Cloud would have laughed, had Vincent not been deadly serious.

Cloud then continued, "I must thank you for everything you've done since you joined us."

Vincent quirked an eyebrow at this, _What's he getting to?_

"Especially with saving mine, Aeris, and Tifa's lives."

"Don't mention it," Vincent told the swordsman, whom he now noticed was hold Aeris in his arms similar to the way Vincent held Tifa.

"She's a good woman isn't she?" Vincent then heard Cloud say, guessing he was talking about Tifa, as he was looking straight at her.

Vincent just nodded, not trusting his mouth or words.

"I notice she's taken quite a liking to you Vince, just don't ever hurt her, she's like a sister to me." _I wouldn't hurt her half as much as you already have. _Vincent found himself thinking. _Yet I'm sure I won't be given even the chance, a pure being like her could never find solace in my presence, despite what you may think may friend._ Vincent just nodded at Cloud again as he changed the subject.

"Where do you think we should head off to next?"

"I have no clue," Vincent told Cloud truthfully.

Just then Cait Sith speaks up, "I heard somewhere that you have to have something called the 'keystone' to enter the Temple of the Ancient's awhile back from some people in the Gold Saucer."

"Really?" Cloud asked the mechanical cat and moogle.

"Yea, and I believe it was weapon maker near Gongaga who was talking about it, because afterwards he told the man he was talking to, to drop by his shop if he wanted to know more about the keystone." Cait Sith then looked real proud of himself for having this information.

"Well, when Yuffie wakes up we'll ask her if she remembers seeing a weapon maker who lived near Gongaga during her travels." Cloud then turned to Vincent, "I trust you'll be awake all night?"

"Yes," Vincent replied looking Cloud straight in the eyes wondering what he was getting at.

Cloud looked uneasy under Vincent's gaze but refused to look away form the gunman, "I'm going to get some shut-eye, can you wake me at dawn?"

Vincent just nodded at Cloud,

"Thanks," and with that Vincent watched Cloud fall asleep. He then let his attention fall back on the woman in his arms as he thought about everything she had told him, and his miserable past.

_This is going to be a long night..._

A/N: Hey everyone, I know what you're all probably thinking. Why can't Tifa swim? Well, I reason that sahe lived in Nibelheim her whole life playing in the mountains, seeing as she became a tour guide, and then she went to Midgar, yes there was a river near Nibelheim but like I said, she apparantly spent most of her time in the mountains, and her not being able to swim helps my story move a little faster. Also if you go thinking, 'well she must have been able to swim to get up to the pole in Junon' she could have easily had Yuffie help her out to the dolphin or someone else help her out there. Also I am going to reveal later why Vincent is a good swimmer and I mightalso have him teach Tifa how to swim in a later chapter, so please, bear with me here people. Oh, and please review, comeon, you know you want too.


	11. Stupid Hurricane

Hey everyone, sorry that this isn't a new chapter but I just wanted to let you all know that I won't be able to update for quite a while if worst comes to worst. Dennis is heading straight for my trailer I'm in right now in Panama City, and we are evacuating but I'm not sure what's going to be left when we come back. Hopefully my Dad's trailer (where I'm at now) and my mom's house (in Pensacola) both survive this storm seeing as it could hit either area right now. Anyways, we're packing and about to leave. I'll update once again as soon as I can, wish me and my family luck. Jaa.


	12. CHapter 11

AN: Hey everyone, I'm back, Luckily neither one of my house sustained damage from Dennis. But the update had to be delayed because me and my fmaily went up to Birmingham Alabama to see my grandma who is up there because of her heart surgery she had to have. She's recovering well though and I've just gotten home yesterday and I felt you all deserved an update. Plus I was jsut in the writing mood. Anyways, hopefully chapter updates will become more regular again. Hope you all enjoy the chapter, and oh, please review. Jaa.

Disclaimer: If I owned Final Fantasy 7 I would be rich and Vincent would have had his own game come out LONG ago. Which his game isn't out yet and won't be out for awhile so there you have it, I don't own squat.

Chapter 11

Tifa awoke the next morning feeling more secure than she could remember at the moment. She felt herself wrapped up in someone's warm embrace, yet at the moment she couldn't think of anyone who she'd be like this with. _Well, one way to find out who this is..._ Tifa thought as she opened her eyes.

Tifa nearly gasped at what she saw then, it was Vincent, but... he was asleep. His cape was slanted down a bit so she could see his face, and she had to fight the urge to squeeze him like a little teddy bear when she saw the look on his face. _Wow, he looks so peaceful when he's asleep,_ Tifa thought while looking him over. Just then though, she noticed his features change into a pained expression and she started to worry for Vincent.

"No... don't."

_He must be having a nightmare,_ Tifa thought. _It seems as if all he ever has is nightmares and pain, the poor man._ When Tifa looked at him though, she noticed something, she didn't pity him, she just... respected him. _He's been through so much and yet... here he is fighting for the life of the planet, and also having to face the son of his beloved. I just don't want you to hurt anymore Vincent._

Tifa felt a tear slide down her face as she squeezed Vincent a little tighter attempting to comfort him, and much to her surprise, it worked. His face smoothed out into a peaceful smile, well, what would be considered a smile for Vincent, she guessed.

Just, then Tifa glanced around and saw that everyone else was asleep except for Cloud, who was holding Aeris in his arms and smiling down at her. Cloud looked up though as Tifa's eyes fell on him and he smiled at her and she just smiled back, for once, not jealous of Aeris at all, and it was a full smile. Tifa guessed it was because she was being held in Vincent's arms at the time, or she just finally decided her and Cloud would always remain childhood friends.

Tifa then looked up at Vincent and suddenly felt tired again, she could tell it was early morning and decided she'd catch some more shut-eye time.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Vincent awoke with a weird feeling that he was being watched, he didn't like this feeling. He knew why he felt that way when he opened his eyes though. Cloud, Aeris, Yuffie, Red, Cait Sith, and Cid, were all looking at him with amused smiles on their faces, and Barret was looking at him with what seemed to be a pathetic excuse for a glare. Vincent was about to ask why they were all looking at him like that when he noticed an unfamiliar weight on his chest.

_Oh... no..._

_**Oh yes Vinny, you held onto Tifa like a stuffed animal all night long, hehe.**_

_I was not going to wake her up just to move her in the middle of the night beast, I was just hoping I would be the first awake..._

_**Oh, get some private time with her and then wake her up before anyone else but Cloud saw huh?**_

_NO! I was not trying to have some 'private' time with her._

_**Riiight, well, sleeping beauty's waking up Vinny, have fun explaining this one, haha.**_

_Pesky demon..._

"Morning Vincent," Tifa said as she looked up at Vincent without letting go of him. Tifa then heard soft chuckling behind her and was almost afraid to turn around.

Tifa then spoke softly so only Vincent could hear, "Everyone's awake huh?"

"That is correct," came Vincent's soft reply, followed by a sigh.

Just then, to Vincent's amazement, Tifa flashed him one of her bright cheerful miles and stood up to stretch. "Time to rise and shine I guess," Tifa said before turning around like she didn't even know they were there.

"Oh, hey guys, what's for breakfast?" Tifa then blushed as Aeris gave her a look that clearly said, 'we'll talk about this later'.

"What do you think?" Cid asked with his spear in the water, Tifa was about to tell him 'don't ask me' when he brought his spear up which had a fish caught on it.

Cid grinned at everyone then, "Fish."

As Tifa, Aeris, and Yuffie started cleaning the fish, Cloud joined Cid near the edge of the plane to catch some more and Vincent just sat back to relax as best he could.

**_Wow, _**Galian said, **_your second meal in thirty years, go Vinny._**

_What makes you think I'm eating demon?_

_**Tifa is not going to let you go without eating, you know that as well as I do.**_

Vincent sighed then, _You're right..._

_**Want to know something else I find interesting?**_

_I'm just dieing from excitement..._

_**You got tired and slept last night, whatever happened to, 'my body does not require the sleep it once did.'**_

_I don't know, I don't even know why I was tired._

**_I think I have an idea. _**Vincent heard Galian say with an underlying tone to his voice.

_Then do tell._

_**Actually, I think I'll just sit back and see if I'm right...**_

Vincent sighed once again but this time Tifa looked at him, "You okay Vincent?"

"I am fine..." He replied and she smiled at him.

"You know," Tifa then moved closer so no one else could hear before she continued, "you're talking a lot more than you were a couple of days ago, I'm glad." She then smiled at him and he felt a little flutter in his heart but denied that he felt it. He was too shocked from the feeling that he got when she said that, that he didn't even notice Galian laughing in the back of his mind.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Tifa, com here," Aeris told Tifa and gestured for her to follow her to an edge of the plane away from everyone else.

"What's going on with you and Vincent? Comeon, you can tell me."

"Nothing Aeris, he's just very polite..."

"Right... Tifa, you'd have to be blind to not notice that you and Vincent are attracted to each other."

Tifa then looked at Aeris with a reproving look, "Hey, you think he's good looking too!"

Aeris was thoughtful for a second, "Well, you'd have to be blind to not see that either," Aeris started giggling after that.

"Anyways Tifa," Aeris began, "I really think you and Vincent look cute together."

"And how would you think that?" Tifa retorted.

"Well, you forget we all saw you two sleeping together this morning..."

Tifa blushed at that, "Oh yea... hehe, sorry."

"Ok Aeris, off the subject of me and Vincent how are you and Cloud doing?"

Aeris needless to say was shocked that Tifa would bring up the subject of her and Cloud, especially if she could bring it up with a genuine smile on her face.

"Umm... Tifa, you ok?"

"Never been better," and Tifa meant it too.

"Hey Aeris, look, I finally see that all Cloud and I will be is childhood friends, the way he looked at me earlier this morning with you in his arms was a look that a brother gives a sister, not a look between lovers. And, I was fine with that and still am."

"Tifa..." Aeris started with a teasing tone, "I think it's because you're crushing on Mr. Mysterious here."

"Oh shut up, I am not."

"I think you are," Aeris said, "but we'll just have to wait and see I guess."

"Yea, you can wait and see that you're wrong," Tifa then stuck her tongue out at Aeris who just laughed at her.

"Anyways, we should probably get back to cleaning those fish, Yuffie seems to be having trouble."

Tifa looked at the ninja after Aeris said that and almost burst out laughing. Yuffie was sitting there cursing as she attempted to clean the fish.

"I think you're right, comeon let's go."

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Vincent watched the two women get up and walk over to the cursing Yuffie and start helping her with cleaning the rest of the fish, there were two for each of them. Vincent almost laughed when Cid and Cloud started casting Bolt on the water to kill the fish before catching them, almost.

But now he watched the girls start laying the fish down to the side as they filleted each one, and weirdly enough, he was getting hungry.

**_AHA! _**Galian shouted in Vincent's mind.

_What is your problem demon?_

_**Hey Vinny, be nice, you might like this.**_

_I'm not sure what to think right now..._

**_Well, it's not proven yet, but Vinny, I think you're less of a monster than you think..._**

_Oh really, the demon in my head tells me I'm less of a monster than I think, isn't that the opposite of what you're supposed to do?_

**_Hey, if you want me to go back to how I was in the mansion I will._**

_Speaking of that, why'd you become, dare I say, almost, ...nice?_

**_You're not the only one Tifa's affecting smart guy._**

_What do you mean!_

**_Calm down Vinny, I'm just saying I've been doing some thinking, and I don't think you're immortal like you think, more of Hojo just stopped time for you while you were in that coffin..._**

Vincent was speechless, to say the least, _How... how can you think so much?_

_**I'm a demon Vinny, not a retard.**_

Vincent mentally smirked before his next comment, _Really? I didn't notice._

**_Jackass._**

Vincent then looked up as he smelled cooked fish coming his way. "Here you go Vincent, I hope you like fish," with that Tifa smiled and set the fish down for him as she walked away.

_Smells good..._ Vincent thought as he took a bite, _tastes good too, _with that Vincent finished the rest of his fish and reached over to wash his plate off in the water. After he finished washing his plate he stood up and walked over to where Tifa still cooking other people's fish.

"Thank you Tifa, the fish was wonderful." With that, Vincent sat his plate down then headed back to where he was sitting in the little plane.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Well, that's everyone," Tifa said as she stood up with her own plate of fish. _Where to sit...? Hmm... I wonder. _Tifa was eying Vincent sitting all alone as she was thinking this, then she headed over there towards him.

"Mind if I sit down here?"

"If you wish..." Vincent answered.

"I want to thank you for helping me yesterday, for everything." Tifa said looking up from her plate.

"It was nothing."

"Still, thanks."

Tifa then let her thoughts wander as she started eating her fish, _I wonder where we're going from here..., and I wonder if I'll get to cuddle up to Vincent again tonight... wait, what am I thinking! _Tifa then shook her head and Vincent quirked up an eyebrow as he looked at her.

Tifa blushed, "Sorry."

Vincent just nodded and went back to looking out to the horizon.

"Yuffie guesses it will take 2 more days to reach the weapons shop near Gongaga from here." Vincent suddenly said, startling Tifa.

"Ohh, really?"

"Yes, much to Yuffie's dismay," with that Tifa looked towards the young ninja who was hunched over an edge of the plane throwing her dinner back to the ocean.

"Poor thing... this can't be good for her motion sickness."

"If you would like to alleviate her motion sickness, I recommend these," Vincent said pulling two little pills out of his pocket.

"Oh, thank you Vincent," Tifa said, about to hug him but she thought against it, "where'd you get these?"

"I make sure to keep a few supplies for any emergency when I travel, old habit."

Tifa nodded at this and headed over to Yuffie after she finished her meal.

"Hey, Yuffie, how you doing?"

"Oh... Tifa... please let... me be."

"First take these and see how you feel ok?"

"What are they?" Yuffie asked eying the two small orange pills cautiously.

"They should help with your motion sickness."

"Well give 'em here," Yuffie said as she swiped the pills and swallowed them in one swift motion.

Tifa laughed at Yuffie's antics, "You might want to think Vincent if they work Yuffs."

"Vinny?"

"It's Vincent," Tifa laughed as she heard Vincent correct Yuffie and saw Yuffie visibly cringe.

"Sorry Vincent," Yuffie apologized hurriedly, and noticed she already felt better, "and thank you for the pills."

Vincent just nodded and Yuffie went up to Tifa to start a conversation.

"You like Vinn-umm... Vincent, huh?"

Tifa's eyebrow almost twitched at this, "Why does everyone think I like Vincent?"

"Teef, it's obvious, I can tell he likes you too though, heh heh." Yuffie then nudged Tifa with her elbow before Tifa could slap it away.

"You know Yuffie, we have another day or two out here on the sea, if you stop now maybe I'll consider giving you those pills from Vincent again tomorrow." Tifa laughed at how fast that got the ninja to shut her mouth, not before she received a glare of course first.

_It's going to be quite the trip..._ Tifa though to herself as she head back to sit near Vincent.


	13. Chapter 12

A/N: Wow I'm so sorry everyone. I hit another writer's block, have had family problems, have school online, and I have three college classes I'm taking during high school, and one college class out of high school starting the 23rd, so I'm always doing alot of work now. So, no time to write + writer's block long wait for update. And I'm so sorry this took me so long. I hope you all like the chapter though and decide to review it afterward. Hopefully I'll get the next chapter out sooner, once again gomen.

Disclaimer: If I owned Final Fantasy 7 I would be rich and Vincent would have had his own game come out LONG ago. Which his game isn't out yet and won't be out for awhile so there you have it, I don't own squat.

Chapter 12

Tifa awoke to the feeling of moonlight on her face, it was early morning still. They had just reached the shore near the weapon's store when the sun was setting. Tifa smiled as she looked up and saw Vincent, ever vigilant in his watching of the group. _These past two days on the Tiny Bronco have definitely been nice..._ she thought to herself. Tifa missed the familiar warmth of Vincent's body heat near her as she slept, but when Vincent looked at her and his eyes softened a bit Tifa couldn't help but smile even more.

"Tifa," Vincent said as he looked at her, "did you sleep well?"

"Yes Vincent, I did, you look like you need some rest too though, here go ahead and get some rest, I'll keep watch until the sun rises."

Vincent looked at her and she could really tell he was tired, but some part of her knew he wouldn't let her take over watch and sleep himself.

"And don't start with the my body doesn't require rest stuff either mister," Tifa chastised him softly making sure she wouldn't wake the others, "I've noticed you've been needing rest quite often these last couple of days, you almost need just as much as any regular person." Tifa thought she caught a smile in his eyes as she said that before he looked to the ground and his hair hid his face from her.

"Still, it is my responsibility to have watch right now, I thank you for your kindness, but I must remain awake."

"Well then, I'm staying up too." As Tifa said that Vincent's head shot up and she could faintly see surprise in his features, but she only smiled at him before standing up and walking over to where he sat.

"Are you sure you don't wish to sleep more?" Vincent asked her as she sat down beside him.

"Yes, you're the one who needs the sleep." Vincent just shook his head at her response and returned his gaze over to the horizon.

_Wow... _Tifa thought, _I'm so glad he's talking to me more, he doesn't talk much around the others, but when it's just us too he seems fine, I'm even starting to be able to recognize his facial expressions. _Tifa smiled proud of how comfortable Vincent seemed to be getting around her, compared to the stoic man who had been sleeping in a coffin for thirty years.

Tifa then looked over at Vincent and saw his eye's start to close as his head was tilting downward. He'd only slept about two hours a day since they got on the plane and it was really starting to take it's toll on him. He actually had slept only about 30 minutes one day.

_I wonder if I... no.. I shouldn't _Tifa thought as she was looking at him. She wanted to just rest her arm across his back and pull him into to her so he could rest, but she knew that unless the contact occurred while she was sleeping, Vincent shied away from it.

Tifa decided she was just sit there with him, enveloped in the comfortable silence that she found herself in with him so many times these last couple of days. Tifa turned her gaze to the horizon and saw the faintest trace of sunrise, it wasn't much, but the sky did lighten a bit. She was about to turn to Vincent and tell him his watch was over because the sun was rising when all of a sudden she felt something fall against her right shoulder.

Tifa knew what it was before she even turned to look. She smiled as she wrapped her arms around the cloaked man who had just fallen asleep so suddenly. She then laid him back and lay down beside him, _Heh, well, he finished his watch. _Tifa heard a rustling and saw Cloud stretching to begin his watch until the others woke up, how he always woke up at dawn she would never know. He looked at her and smiled, then she smiled back at him before laying her head down and once again falling asleep beside the man she unknowingly was falling in love with.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Vincent woke up once again with the sunlight shining on his face, but something was different about this morning. _Why's today feel so much different than normal, Tifa's still here cuddled against me, and... oh... that's it._

_**What's it?**_

_I don't have the same distinctive feeling I'm being watched as usual._

**_Well no duh bright guy, you would think after you and Tifa sleeping side by side for a couple nights in a row, people would get used to it._**

Vincent thought about this for a moment. _Guess you're right._

Just then Tifa turned around and looked Vincent straight in the eyes, she seemed to have a habit of doing that every morning now, and Vincent, actually, found it a wonderful way to start the day.

"You sure slept late sleepy head," Tifa said before letting out a small giggle.

"Late?"

"Yea, it's already past noon."

Vincent started at this, before looking up to the sun for reassurance, it was a little past midpoint in the sky towards the west, and he knew she was right.

"Why didn't you wake me?"

"You just looked so cu- umm... tired last night, so I umm... felt like you needed your rest, yea."

Vincent quirked an eyebrow at this, _She's hiding something from me._

_**Oh comeon Vinny, is it really not that obvious?**_

_What?_

**_She was about to say you looked so cute._**

_How could I look cute?_

**_Don't ask me Vinny, ask the girl who almost said it._**

_You're mistaken demon, she couldn't think me cute._

_**Whatever you say Vinny.**_

Vincent sighed, he must have the most ignorant demon possible, he thought.

**_HEY! I heard that!_**

"When are we headed towards the weapon maker's house?" Vincent said as he sat up.

"Oh that, Cloud, Yuffie, and Barret went after Yuffie woke up, the guy said he'd sold the keystone to the owner of the Gold Saucer." Tifa responded, sitting up beside him.

"The Gold... Saucer?" Vincent asked dumbly.

"Oh yea, you wouldn't know about it," Tifa smiled before continuing, "it's an amusement park."

"Are you serious?"

"Yep."

"I... shall remain outside of the park waiting the group's return."

Tifa looked shocked to hear this, "Why Vincent?"

"A place of merriment is not a place for me..." Vincent said as his eyes traveled to his claw.

"Vincent... it'll be fine, no one will look at you and run away, will you please go in, for me?"

_**Ohh... she's pulling out the big guns.**_

_Shut up demon._

"...I will think about." Vincent replied after a minute or two.

"Thanks," Tifa said before leaning forward to hug him, stopping just before she actually did, "sorry," she added as she remembered the no touching thing.

"Well, I'm going to go cook us something to eat for lunch."

Vincent looked up at her before speaking, "You have not eaten yet?"

"No."

"Why, not?"

"I didn't want to bother you while you were sleeping, and plus, now I can cook us both something." Tifa then smiled as she stood up and started to walk off.

"Tifa..." Vincent started, which made Tifa stop and turn to look at him.

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"Oh don't worry about it Vincent," and with that she was off to start cooking.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

As the group neared the gondola that was to take them up to the Gold Saucer Vincent was getting a feeling of foreboding already.

_I don't think I want to do this... I feel like something is up._

**_I agree with you Vinny, something doesn't feel right._**

_I already told Tifa I would go though, I can't go back on that._

_**Yea, we should just be on alert, as always.**_

_Something I can agree with you on demon._

"You ok Vincent?"

"Yes Tifa, I'm sorry, I spaced out for a second there."

"Oh well, time for us to get on the gondola." Tifa gestured towards the machine in front of them as she said that.

Vincent walked up towards it and noticed everyone was inside already, "After you," he said as he held the door open for her to get in. Tifa blushed as she walked into the gondola and took a seat.

Vincent then walked in and stood up beside Tifa, he just didn't trust this thing, and should anything happen he would grab Tifa and do whatever he could to save them both.

"You're tense Vincent," Tifa said looking up at him from her seat, "I can just feel it, don't worry though, everything will be fine." She moved up to touch his arm as she said this but once again remembered the no touching policy.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

_Wow, he can be such a gentleman, _Tifa though as Vincent opened the gondola doors for her again, he kept them open for everyone to follow through after her, but she knew he did it for her mostly.

Tifa had to keep from giggling though as she saw the expression that came across his face as he took in the Gold Saucer.

"Come on Vincent, we can't just sit out here the whole time."

"But can't we?"

Tifa laughed at that, she just couldn't help it, he had this slight expression of a seven year old asking to stay home from church.

"Come on silly," and with that she grabbed his hand without realizing it and pulled him into the park behind her.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Tifa had been dragging Vincent all over the place, looking at all the games in Wonder Square, they spent some time watching the chocobo races, and Tifa even got Vincent to sit and watch a play in Event Square with her.

While Tifa and Vincent we're heading off to the Battle Arena to see what kind of fighters frequented the area, Tifa noticed that she was still holding Vincent's hand. She then remembered how every time they had let go when ever they were doing something, their hand's still found each other.

Tifa went to let go of his hand, blushing a deep red, but Vincent just tightened his grip on her hand and look down at her. If she wouldn't have been spending so much time with him lately she wouldn't have noticed it, but she had, and so she noticed the smile on his face.

"It's fine," Vincent said, still smiling at her, in his own little way, "I don't mind."

Tifa blushed and squeezed his hand a little tighter, "Thanks," she said and they continued on towards the Battle Arena.


	14. Chapter 13

A/N: Sorry again everyone, I just got carried away with schoolwork, and I have a girlfriend now too, but I haven't forgot about you all, I just didn't know how to continue, I hope to have the next chapter out within the week, I just finished my Virtual school class and am very proud to say I made an A and also don't have to work on that anymore. Anyways gomen minna and I hope you enjoy the chapter.

Disclaimer: If I owned Final Fantasy 7 I would be rich and Vincent would have had his own game come out LONG ago. Which his game isn't out yet and won't be out for awhile so there you have it, I don't own squat.

Chapter 13

**_I like this place Vinny. _**Vincent could practically feel Galian's smile as he looked around the Battle Arena.

_I bet you do, demon._

"Vincent... look there's Cloud," Tifa said as she brought Vincent out of his internal conversation with Galian.

Cloud had just finished off a couple of dragon looking things and was starting to look fatigued as a flying serpent appeared. Just then Tifa saw a green-yellow mist enshroud Cloud as he was transformed into a frog.

"Thats totally unfair!" Tifa said as she creature was about to attack Cloud in frog form.

Vincent then saw Cloud get covered with another green-yellow mist and roll away from the monster as he was returned to normal. Out of the corner of his eye he also noticed Aeris smiling slightly holding a small green orb which he guessed was a Transform materia.

"Wow, he cast that quick," Tifa said before Vincent nudged her and pointed over to Aeris. Tifa then tried to stifle a giggle as she realized what the Cetra had done.

"I'll be right back," she told Vincent before heading over to Aeris.

Vincent was then able to hear their conversation thinks to his heightened sense of hearing.

"Cheater." Tifa said as she lightly punched Aeris in the arm.

"Oh, give me a break, I couldn't have been able to bear to see him get mauled by that creature, it's not like it's the first time I helped him out in this battle," with that Aeris let a smile grace her features and Vincent just shook his head and looked back toward the arena to see Cloud finish off the creature with his Meteorain technique.

Just then Cloud walked out of the arena and was greeted by a body builder.

"Way to go my boy, hear you go." Vincent heard the big man say. Then Vincent started heading towards Cloud to see what he was receiving from the man.

On his way there Vincent caught up with the girls who were also walking towards Cloud.

Cloud thanked the big man and shook his hand as he started heading towards the group approaching him.

"So you got it?" Aeris asked, her eyes lighting up.

"Yep," Cloud grinned holding up a blue-ish stone.

"What is that?" Tifa asked.

Cloud then looked her way and grinned even wider, "The Keystone."

"Really!"

"Yep, now we just have to find the Temple of the Ancients and get there before Sephiroth or Shinra," and Cloud's eyes hardened as he mentioned Avalanche's two enemies.

"Congratulations Cloud now we can find the others and get out of here I presume?"

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Tifa laughed at the look of hope that's Vincents face portrayed just then, and he quirked an eyebrow at her.

"So, you don't enjoy spending time with me?" Tifa asked jokingly.

Apparently Vincent didn't catch the tone of her voice that said she was joking because his face showed a look of horror, well, that's what Tifa interpreted it as.

"Of course I do, it's just..." and Vincent then looked around the place and shuddered slightly as he took in all the colorful lights.

"I was kidding Vincent," Tifa said as she smiled at him.

"Oh..." Vincent said, looking slightly humiliated.

Tifa looked over and glared at Aeris real quick though before she started to giggle at Vincent's reaction.

"Don't worry about it Vincent, here I'll call everyone up on their PHS and we'll meet up at the entrance."

"Thank you," Vincent said then and he looked slightly relieved.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"What do you mean we can't leave?" Vincent asked the attendant at the gondola staring him down coldly. Tifa felt sorry for the guy but could understand Vincent's frustration at the moment. She decided to walk up to him and put her arm on his, realizing only afterward about the no-touching thing. But instead of him flinching away from her like she expected, he seemed to calm down, sighed and then shook his head.

"I apologize," he told the park worker then as Cait Sith came up behind them and asked what was wrong.

"They say the tram's out of order so we can't leave just yet." Cloud spoke up.

"Oh well, it happens," Cait Sith replied looking at the group, "don't worry though, we can stay at the hotel here, they know me, I'll go get the rooms for us." and with that Cait Sith went back off into the park.

Vincent sighed again.

"Don't worry Vincent, it's only one night," Tifa then told him as the two went back off into the park.

"I know, I just have a bad feeling about this whole thing, ever since we arrived here, and it's not because of all the people."

_I wonder what could be bothering him, _Tifa thought to herself as he finished speaking.

"Everything will be fine Vincent, don't worry."

"I'll try not too Tifa, Vincent then finished as they heading off for the hotel.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

_I actually don't mind this hotel at all, _Vincent thought to himself as he was laying on the bed about 30 minutes later.

**_That's because it's all gloomy and whatnot, you knumbwit._** Galian said as Vincent was looking up at the ceiling.

_I know, _Vincent replied letting his thoughts drift off to what had happened that day, but he was interrupted as he heard Galian's laughter in the back of his mind.

_What is it demon?_

_**You're thinking about her... again.**_

_So?_

_**I think you're starting to love her.**_

_And I think you're an ignorant demon._

_**Ok Vinny, whatever you say. You owe me though when you realize that I'm right. At least 2 days of no stupid demon jokes, etc.**_

_When did you ever think I was joking?_

Galian scoffed at this, **_You know you appreciate me at times._**

_Whatever gave you that idea?_

_**If it wasn't for me, Tifa would have died a couple of days ago.**_

Vincent couldn't say anything to that, and just sat there, thinking.

_I suppose I should thank you for that, again. _Vincent said as he thought about where he would be had Galian not saved Tifa and the others that day.

_**Think nothing of it Vinny, like I said, I'm warming up to Tifa too.**_

Just then Vincent heard a knock at the door and glanced questioningly at Cloud as he looked right back at him dumbfounded.

"You going to see who it is?"

"Sure Vince."

With that Cloud got up and answered the door only to see Aeris standing there looking excited. Then Aeris came in and pulled Cloud out into the hallway with her saying something about a date. With the look on Cloud's face as she was pulling him out of the room, Vincent almost chuckled, almost.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Hey Teef," Aeris said glancing over at Tifa slyly, "we should take the guys out tonight you think?"

"The guys?" Tifa asked dumbly, wondering if Aeris meant Vincent and Cloud or everyone else as well.

"Vincent and Cloud you dummy," Aeris replied chuckling softly.

"Hmm, maybe, but I don't think Vincent likes walking around here too much."

"Well, he didn't seem to bothered when you and him were walking around here earlier alone."

Tifa thought about that for a second, "Well, I guess he just opens up a little more when it's just me and him."

"Hmm..." Aeris looked thoughtful for a second... Tifa didn't like that.

"I think Mr. Mysterious is crushing on you too," Tifa didn't even register exactly what Aeris said at first, just noticed the implication that she was crushing on Vincent.

"I am NOT crushing on Vincent... wait, did you say he's crushing on me?"

Aeris giggled at Tifa's expression, "Seems like you just killed your defense that you're not crushing on him Tifa," Aeris said laughing.

"Any girl not interested in someone wouldn't react that way at finding out there may be a way that that person might like them too."

"Oh shut up," Tifa said, throwing a pillow at Aeris.

Aeris dodged it and laughed softly, "Comeon, Tifa, I know it, you know it, just admit it."

Tifa looked thoughtful for a second, "Fine, so what if I like him, it's not like there's anything wrong with it."

Aeris then laughed again, "I knew you liked him."

"Ok, ok,. so then... what's this about him liking me?" and with that Tifa's eyes sparkled like she was looking at a big present that might be exactly what she wants.

"Think about it Teef" Aeris said, "and I'm sure you'll figure it out, anyways, I'm off to fetch Cloud now. Bye, oh and, you and Vincent have fun," Aeris said winking at Tifa before she left the room.

_Maybe I should go see if Vincent would like to join me for a night around the park, bue... what if he doesn't want to?_

_Oh comeon Tifa, be a woman, if he says no, he says no, don't cry over it._

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

_I wonder if Tifa is going to show up and ask me to go on a 'date' with her._

_**You know you want her too.**_

_I never said that._

_**You were thinking it.**_

_Was NOT!_

**_Vinny, Vinny, Vinny, if there's anyone alive who knows what you're thinking it's me and the three other creepy ones sleeping in here._**

_Shut up pest._

**_Make me. _**Vincent then got a mental picture of Galian sticking his tongue out at him and laughing because he knew Vincent can't do that.

"Damn pest..." Vincent said and was surprised when he heard Tifa's voice.

"What pest?"

"The one living in my head." Vincent said before realizing what he was saying.

_**Smooth move tall dark and handsome.**_

Vincent then looked at Tifa worriedly as he thought she would now think him mad and be so disgusted with him she wouldn't want to talk to him ever again.

"What do you mean?" Tifa asked next, looking more curious than anything else.

"You remember how I told you Hojo put demons in me correct?"

Tifa nodded to Vincent as she sat down beside him on the bed.

"Well... they communicate with me, much like me and you are now, they're just in my head, well... only Galian does any talking, the other three appear to have not been awakened yet."

"And Galian was that one the you changed into up in the reactor?" Tifa now looked interested much to Vincent's surprise.

"Yes, he's quite the sarcastic little hellion." Vincent said with a scowl appearing on his face.

"So... let me get this," Tifa started, "the demons you can transform into talk to you, just in your mind, and Galian apparently is the only one right now who says anything, and he seems to be a sarcastic pest?"

Vincent nodded his head, and Tifa looked even more thoughtful.

"Has he said anything about me?" she asked innocently.

Vincent tried hard then to not laugh, remembering most of the demons remarks on the beautiful brunette in front of him.

"Oh, quite often," he replied, "usually insinuating that you have a crush on me, which I don't see why you would... Tifa?"

Tifa was then blushing madly as she tried to hide her face from Vincent. "Yes?"

"Are you alright?"

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

_Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, pesky little demon, and I don't even know him like Vincent does._

"Oh I'm fine Vincent, I just came here to ask if you would like to walk around the park with me?" Tifa finished her question with the most pleading look she could muster and was relieved when she saw his features softening.

"So, you don't mind the fact that I have demons talking to me in my head as well as being able to transform into them?"

"Of course not Vincent," _Although I wouldn't giving that bastard a good whack to shut him up. _"It just adds to your character I think, you're still Vincent," _and still amazingly gorgeous and sweet and... stop it Tifa, you sound like a little schoolgirl with her first crush._

"In that case," and Vincent then gave Tifa one of his little smiles as he stood up, "I would love to accompany you tonight Tifa."

Vincent then went to grab his cloak but Tifa grabbed his hand before he reached it, "No cloak tonight, please?"

"Very well, if that is what you wish, may I inquire why though?"

Tifa blushed then as she formed her next words in her head, "You have a very handsome face and I don't see why you hide it so much, I guess I'd just like to spend some time with you without your cloak hiding you away from me, it just seems like a barrier you put up to block out the world, and I guess I would like to be one who you don't wish to block out like everyone else."

_I can't believe I just told him all that,_thought Tifa as she blushed madly.

Vincent let one of his smiles grace his face again, and Tifa thought she could see that it was more of a true smile than what he normally had. "That is a valid reason I guess, and I want you to know, that I don't want you to feel blocked out as much as you don't want to be blocked out." Vincent finished and Tifa thought she saw him start to blush a little bit.

"Then I guess we can go," Tifa said happily grabbing his hand in hers and pulling him out of the room into the lights and sounds of the Gold Saucer.

A/N: Hey everyone, like I said hopefully the next chapter will be out within the week, and please review. Your reviews are very much appreciated.


	15. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: If I owned Final Fantasy 7 I would be rich and Vincent would have had his own game come out LONG ago. Which his game isn't out yet and won't be out for awhile so there you have it, I don't own squat.

A/N: Hey once again sorry for such a long wait for an update everyone, I can promise you I won't let this story die, just been living the busy life lately. I start UWF in the fall and will have a laptop then so I'll be able to type more when I want, but I'm also working opn getting a place with some friends and it's all taking forever. But good news is, I'm done with the part of the story I really didn't feel like writing, but needed to write for where we're at now. Anyways, on to the fic...

Chapter 14

_It's such a great night out tonight…_ Tifa thought as her and Vincent went walking around the park. She felt bad for the gunman however, for each time they'd go by a booth or something that had some cheerful music and bright lights he would seem to shiver a little bit.

"Not to fond of cheerful songs and bright lights?" Tifa asked him jokingly.

"Actually, no, I'm not," Vincent said back to her and Tifa couldn't tell whether or not he was playing along with the joke or being serious.

"We can go back to the hotel if you want…" Tifa started before she was cut off.

"No it's fine, the walk is… enjoyable, despite the annoying sounds and lights." With that Vincent gave her what she knew by now to be one of his smiles.

"I'm glad," Tifa said and squeezed his hand.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Just then Vincent heard a ruckus off to his far left and turned around in time to see Cait Sith run through one of the passport tubes that links the sections of the Gold Saucer. Not far behind him was Cloud and Aeris, hot on his trail.

_The hell…?_

_**I don't know Vinny, maybe we should check it out.**_

"Tifa, look," Vincent said as he pointed in the direction of Cloud and Aeris.

"What?" Tifa said as she looked towards the couple and saw them run off through a passport.

"We should follow, they're chasing after Cait," Vincent said as he headed off after the other members of Avalanche.

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"What happened?" Tifa exclaimed as she walked up to Cloud who was holding a crying Aeris in his arms.

Cloud gritted his teeth as he answered Tifa, "That traitorous bastard gave the Keystone to Shinra and is holding Marlene hostage so that we have to let him come with us."

"Are you talking about Cait Sith!" Tifa exclaimed.

"Yes, that damn cat, come on Aeris, let's go back now." Cloud then headed Aeris off to the rooms and Tifa could hear Aeris sobbing about what might have happened to her mother.

"Oh my god…" Tifa started and just leaned into Vincent's chest, "how are we going to be able to tell Barrett, and I hope Marlene's all right…"

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Vincent wrapped his arms around Tifa's shoulders as he tried to comfort the girl.

_What kind of a monster would hold a child hostage and pretend to be a friend?_

_**Shin-**_

_I know demon, any employee of Shinra, still…_

"Come on Tifa, let's head back to our rooms as well, you need to rest."

"I'm fine Vincent, really…" Tifa barely got out and Vincent could tell she was lying.

"No Tifa, you need rest," with that Vincent led them back to the Hotel in Ghost Square. When they reached the room Vincent looked at Tifa, who's face showed the trails of recent tears.

"It's ok Tifa, I'm sure Marlene's safe."

"I know Vincent, I'm still worried though."

"Don't worry," Vincent then wrapped Tifa up for one last hug, "you just get some rest and we'll see how the situation is in the morning."

"Thanks Vincent, goodnight."

"Goodnight Tifa," and with that Vincent watched as Tifa walked back in to her and Aeris's room.

_I don't know exactly who this Marlene girl is, but she seems to be important to Tifa._

_**Well no shit Sherlock.**_

_Shut up demon, I didn't ask for your input._

_**But as you know it's always here.**_

Vincent could once again feel a smirk from the beast and sighed as he headed off to his and Cloud's room for the night, he needed to think on things.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Vincent lay in bed looking up at the ceiling. He'd been trying to get some rest for over an hour now but he couldn't because he could still sense the rage Cloud felt and it made him uneasy.

_I need to get out of here for a bit,_ Vincent thought to himself, then he got up and walked toward the window.

When Vincent reached the window he told Cloud he was stepping outside for a bit, then leaped out the window grabbing the top of the frame and using it to swing himself up onto the roof.

_I knew something like this was going to happen, I could feel it earlier..._

_**Relax, I'm sure both Marlene and Aeris' mom are safe. **_

_I feel that to, I just hope I can get Tifa to see it that way as well._

_**I'm sure she'll come to that conclusion herself by the end of tonight. **_

_Yea, once again, something I can agree with you on..._

Vincent then sat there trying to block out the sounds and lights when all of a sudden they shut off.

_Closing time? What a relief..._

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The next day as everyone met in the main lobby of the hotel, Vincent sensed that the anger the rest of the team held towards the Shinra spy was enough to make Galian uneasy.

"Everyone, the Temple of the Ancients is our next destination." Cait Sith said while looking around at everyone. "Cloud, the Temple of the Ancients is to the Southeast of here, and I'm sure you'll find it easy enough."

Cloud then looked around before he spoke up, "Ok then, so who's all going?"

"I'm going!" Aeris said first, "I'm going for sure," she then got over next to Cloud and looked around for anyone else going.

"I'll tag along," Tifa said, "I'd love to see the Temple."

"This might be interesting, so I'll accompany you as well." Vincent then spoke up from the corner.

"Anyone else?" Cloud asked looking around at the group.

He received a unanimous no from everyone and when Cait Sith opened his mouth Cloud shot him a glare and said, "Ok it'll be the four of us then, we'll keep in contact via PHS. Let's mosey."

Cloud then headed out of the motel with Aeris, Tifa, and Vincent in tow.

"You could have cut the tension in there with a knife," Tifa said as she walked up to Vincent.

"Even Galian was feeling uneasy for a second there."

"So how long do you think it'll be before we get to the Temple?"

Vincent looked down at Tifa, "No telling, guess we have to wait and see."

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Luckily for the four, the temple was easy to locate, with Aeris sensing the general direction and Vincent's eyesight they found it on the second day.

"Now to find out what's so special about this Temple," Cloud said as he walked towards it, when Aeris's eyes lit up all of a sudden and she moved past him.

"This is... The Temple of the Ancients... I... I know... I feel it... The knowledge of the Ancients floating..." Aeris then laid her head down on the bridge, and started speaking to someone that only she knew was there, "You could become one with the Planet, but you're stopping it with the strength of will. For the future? For us?"

"Can you understand what they're saying Aeris?" Cloud asked walking up to her. She just raised her finger for him to hold on for a second and looked towards the Temple.

"You're uneasy... but happy? Because I'm here? I'm sorry... I don't understand," Aeris then turned towards Cloud and ran up to him, "I want to go inside!"

"We're going," then Cloud motioned for Tifa and Vincent to follow after him and they went up the steps.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Vincent lay in his bed in Gongaga looking up towards the roof of the small hut he was staying in.

_I can't believe that was just 2 days ago, so much has seemed to change since then, Aeris is gone and Cloud seems to be in a coma, not to mention Tifa is more stressed out now, than she has been since I've known her..._

_**Well, one of her best friends is gone and the other's in coma, you'd be stressed out to.**_

_Oh shut up Galian, I didn't say there wasn't reason, I'm just worried about her. There's a good chance we'll never see Aeris again, and Cloud would then be a wreck, which that alone would fray Tifa's nerves._

_**Well, as of now, I can tell you, the Aeris girl is still alive and unharmed, so-**_

"Vincent! Come quick, we're heading to the City of the Ancients," Tifa burst into his room, shouting that then left, to get everyone else rounded up he presumed.

_Guess, Cloud's awake..._

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"So, does anyone have any idea where the City might be located?" Cloud asked the group.

Vincent was sitting there by the plane cleaning his gun off and then looked up towards Cloud, "Well, seeing as it's not anywhere we've been, and we've been all over the West and East Continents, as well as through the Southern Islands, I would chance to say it's up north."

Everyone looked at Vincent but he just went back to cleaning his gun, Tifa smiled slightly at him before she turned back to the conversation at hand.

"So we head north looking for the City of the Ancients, alright, let's mosey."

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Tifa awoke that morning wrapped up in Vincent's arms like usual when they sleep on the Tiny Bronco. She looked around and noticed that they had landed and she could see what looked like an excavation site up ahead in the woods a bit. As she continued to look around she realized something...

_Where's Cloud? _

As Tifa continued to look around she saw a note sitting down in the cockpit...

_Everyone, I went off into the Bone Village after we arrived, come after you wake up._

Tifa sighed and leaned back into Vincent's chest for just a second before she mustered up the strength to get up and wake everyone.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

_Hmph... Cloud certainly seems to have been busy. _Vincent thought as he saw Cloud covered in dirt but smiling as he held a small shiny harp in his arms as he slept.

Vincent then watched as Yuffie, of course, walked silently over towards Cloud, as she reached him, she cuffed her hands around her mouth and before anyone could stop her she yelled right into Cloud's ear.

"Hey Cloud! Wake up!"

"The hell!" Cloud stammered out as he shot up. "Yuffie, what the hell was that for!"

"Time to get up sleeping beauty," she finished before she happily bounced away.

_May god have mercy on her soul if she ever does that to me, _Vincent thought.

Cloud then stood up and began to speak, "Everyone, the City of the Ancients is right through those woods, but we needed this harp to make it through, so I spent all night since we got here searching, and now that you're all awake, we should get going," and with that Cloud turned towards the woods and started down the path.

"Ooh, materia," Yuffie said as she saw a small orb rolling around over to their left.

_Still a child... _

"Hey, Vincent?" Vincent heard Tifa ask as she walked towards him. "You think Aeris'll be ok when we get there?"

"I certainly hope so, it's been awhile since we last saw her, and from what I heard Sephiroth already knows where she is. But Galian says that she's still alive and well, so we still have time," Vincent then smile down towards Tifa and said three words he thought he'd never say again, "just have hope."

"Thanks Vincent," Tifa said as she looked forward and continued down the path, almost in perfect step with Vincent.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

_Why can't I get this feeling of restlessness out of my system? _Tifa thought as she lay in bed, she knew Vincent was outside and Cloud was pacing the room nervously. _I know Aeris is here, we just haven't found her yet, and Galian says she's still alive, so we know that as well..._

Just then Vincent came in and looked at Cloud, and at the same time they both spoke.

"Sephiroth..."

"What! He's here right now!" Tifa asked.

"Yes, I can feel him, we've got to hurry." Cloud said and ran out the door.

"Let's go," Vincent said and him and Tifa then left the house together.

The three didn't even bother waking the others in the other house, they just went down towards the main part of the city.

"Aeris's voice..." Cloud said while looking towards the capital building, or so Tifa guessed. He then took off down the road and her and Vincent were right behind him.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

_Something is definitely not right here. _Vincent mused as they got closer to the altar.

_**I sense him Vinny, he's near, and he's after the Cetra.**_

_I sense him too._

As Vincent went to follow Cloud up to the altar Cloud motioned him to stay back.

Vincent then sat and watched as Cloud went up to Aeris, but then Cloud pulled his sword out and held it above his head like he was going to strike. Vincent pulled his gun out then and Tifa gave him a horrified look.

"I'm not going to kill Cloud, but if he swings I will shoot his shoulder if our words don't reach him first."

Tifa nodded her head that she understood, and just as she did they saw Cloud going for the attack.

"Cloud!"

"Stop it!"

At the sound of their voices Cloud snapped back into reality and Vincent relaxed for a bit. Then his senses kicked in again and he tensed back up.

"What... what are you making me do?" Cloud asked.

_He comes... _Vincent thought as he sensed Sephiroth approaching rapidly.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

A/N: Just so you all know, I didn't write the part about the Temple of the Ancients in there because it's so long, and everything that would happen everyone knows about, and since it's like everyone's on a big mission, there wouldn't have been much room to build up the relationships, except maybe in a boss fight, but I have plenty of those left. Anyways, hopefully I'll have the next chapter up alot sooner than this one...


	16. Sorry Again

Ok, I know this is getting boring for those of you who have followed this story from the beginning and those of you just now reading it, sorry you have to see all the sorry for updating late apologies. Anyways, I had gotten married, had two kids, and now am going through a divorce, wife left me for another guy around april last year, and in october she took the kids to Virginia and I haven't seen them in months and I've just been in a spiral of deppression. Now I'm back at my mom's and trying to get my life in order, remembered how much I love writing, and a thanks to all of you recent reviewer's for letting me know that people are still looking forward to the end of this story. Now, with advent children and dirge of cerberus out I can guarantee this will go a long way, I plan on going from here through both of those later events as well, maybe even after, my writing style might be a little different but I'm going to read my whole story from beginning to where I am now and you guys should see a real update chapter within a couple of days. I'm still glad I haven't seen another story like mine but the main idea for this story is coming up next chapter, I promise you'll enjoy. Once again, sorry, life just seems to get in the way. Hope you all enjoy the upcoming update. Promise it's coming XD


	17. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: If I owned FF7 I don't think I'd be where I am in life, but the usual disclaimer doesn't fit anymore since Vincent has his own game now, which I beat about 12 hours after I bought it, that's what nonstop playing will do for you, anyways, here it is, the long, and I repeat LONG awaited next chapter of Of Wine and Blood, hope you all enjoy XD

Chapter 15

Vincent felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up and he raised his gun not knowing what to expect. Just then he saw _him._ Sephiroth was descending rapidly towards the praying Cetra with his sword drawn. Then with the accuracy and speed of only someone infused with mako and Jenova cells he fired three well placed shots at the first class SOLDIER.

Tifa, heard the gunshots and her heart leaped as she saw the great Sephiroth knocked backwards with two shots in the chest and one directly on the blade of the Masamune before it plunged into it's target.

"Aeris!" She screamed as she realized what had almost occurred.

Cloud finally got his senses about him as he reached for the Cetra and pulled her to safety.

"Insignificant insects," Sephiroth snarled as he looked at the four.

Just then before anyone could approach, Sephiroth darted back up and the group saw another piece of Jenova fall where he had just vacated.

_**Here we go Valentine.**_

Vincent took one leap to the alter to hopefully catch the creature off guard firing as he went. He noticed Cloud carry Aeris off to the side obviously shaken from her near death.

_And I thought I was a monster…_ Vincent said to himself as he neared the beast, with Tifa right behind him, the anger burning in her eyes something he had yet to see. Tifa landed a powerful kick to the creature as it sent off a blue orb of magic energy towards her. Vincent felt his heart skip a beat until he watched her masterfully avoid the magic attack, only to charge once more.

Vincent fired off another full load of bullets into the creature's face, or so he hoped. As he started reloading the gun he saw Cloud approaching the monster with a ferocity ten fold of Tifa's.

"YOU SON OF A…" He heard Cloud roar as he started hacking wildly at the monster, not stopping until the beast was nothing more than a pile of what he could guess was flesh before it withered away.

Once he was sure the foe defeated he hurried to Tifa's side as she was obviously tired from the attack she had unleashed before Cloud finished the thing off.

"Running away you *%&$ing coward!?!?" he heard Cloud shout up in the direction Sephiroth had fled.

"If you wish to follow me, head North, past the snow fields…" then Sephiroth's voice was gone, and Vincent felt his presence slip away too.

After the battle Cloud walked over to check on Aeris.

"Are you alright?" He asked concern evident in his tone.

"I… I think so…" Aeris said looking up at Cloud.

Cloud then turned to Vincent, "I can never repay you for what you did back there, thank you."

"Think nothing of it…" Vincent replied looking over Tifa to check for any wounds, she seemed fine, however something seemed to be on her mind.

"Tifa?" Vincent asked looking into her wine colored eyes.

"Are you alright?"

"Yea Vincent, I'm fine, thank you…" she finished before soft sobs took over her body.

"If you hadn't been here, Aeris would have…" she let her voice trail off then as the sobs continued.

Vicnent looked over at Cloud, "I think we should head back and get some rest."

Cloud just nodded to Vincent and picked Aeris up into his arms as Vincent picked up Tifa.

* * *

Vincent was outside sitting on one of the roofs of the buildings in the area watching for, well anything. Just then Cloud walked outside, looking very troubled. Normally Vincent would just leave him be to his thoughts, but because of the scene earlier, he felt obligated to ask.

"What's on your mind?"

"Hmm? Oh, hey Vincent," Cloud said looking up to the gunman. Cloud seemed to decided something then as he approached the building Vincent was perched upon and deftly jumped up to the roof to sit next to him.

"I just can't figure out what's wrong with me… Earlier this week I gave the Black Materia to Sephiroth, and just back there… I almost…"

Vincent could sense the self doubt and loathing in the young swordsman.

"Am I really me? Should I just quit this journey before I maybe hurt someone else…?"

"Cloud," Vincent interrupted, "you wouldn't have been able to hurt Aeris."

Cloud looked puzzled at this, "I was just one swing away from,"

"I had my gun on you the whole time, I was fully prepared to give you a bullet in the arm before you could hurt her, I don't really know what's going on with you, but… Sephiroth has been around for years past his death now, and I have come to understand you have some connection with him, I can feel him as well, seeing as I have Jenova cells within me, but…"

Here Vincent closed his eyes thoughtfully, "Anytime we sense his presence I'll be there, and I can promise to do everything in my power to keep harm from my allies, even if that means disabling one of them, so don't let it get to you to much."

Cloud looked dumbfounded at first, never really hearing Vincent make such a long speech, but as the words sunk in, he knew Vincent to be honest.

Cloud then nodded his head lightly, "Thanks."

"Cloud, you should get some rest, I'll keep watch tonight." Vincent said, looking over toward the house Tifa was currently sleeping in.

Cloud saw where Vincent was looking and knew he could trust him. "Once again, I can't thank you enough," Cloud said as Vincent waved him off.

_I still don't understand exactly what happened back there…_

_**I sensed a strong connection between Sephiroth and the swordsman, that's twice now he lost control.**_

_It worries me, but as long as she is safe…_

_**Aww, Vinny, I do believe you're being overly protective watching her hut like this.**_

_Shut up demon I didn't ask for your input. Pesky beast._

_**You just know I'm right, Vampy.**_

Vincent quirked an eyebrow at this.

_Where did that come from?_

_**The part of me that enjoys annoying you.**_

Vincent felt the beast chuckle and decided to let it go as the sun was coming up.

As Cid came outside spear in hand Vincent figured he could get some rest finally, he jumped from his seat and was pleased to see the pilot just nod his way lighting up a cigarette, not surprised at all from Vincent's sudden appearance.

Vincent approached the hut Tifa was in wanting to see her for himself before he got some rest, surprised to find that she was already awake and sitting in bed thoughtfully.

"You're up?"

Tifa just nodded her head, barely glancing his way lest he see the tears in her eyes. She hadn't been able to get any quality rest as there was too much on her mind. She felt him sit next to her and knew he had easily sensed her distress.

_Like you could hide something like that from him. _Tifa thought to herself.

"Didn't sleep very well last night," she confessed.

"Want to talk about it?" Vincent asked.

Tifa just shook her head and laid it down against his shoulder.

"Alright," Vincent said leaning his back against the headboard, "you know I'm here if you wish to later."

Tifa just nodded her head really softly and laid into his chest.

This position seemed a little awkward for Vincent but he decided that the comfort she got from it, despite them not being on the Tiny Bronco for once, was worth the awkwardness. Then as he looked down at her face, he noticed that she had seemed to fall asleep, already a smile on her face. Vincent felt his own smile surface for just a second, and all the awkwardness seemed to melt away as he too dozed off for some much needed rest.

Tifa awoke laying against Vincent's chest and could tell how late it was from the brightness around the hut.

_What an amazing man, _she found herself thinking, _I don't care what anyone else thinks, if it wasn't for Vincent, Aeris would have been a goner…_ at that thought Tifa felt tears well up again at what might have been and hugged Vincent closer, hoping he wouldn't wake up for awhile. But of course…

"Well good morning," Vincent said, looking down at Tifa and she felt herself blush.

"We should go see what the other's are up to."

As Vincent and Tifa walked out of the hut Vincent felt someone else pounce him and wrap him up in a fierce hug.

He quirked an eyebrow up as he looked down at Aeris arms wrapped tightly around him.

"Thank you, so much."

"It was nothing…" he said pulling her off of him.

"Sorry," Aeris said sheepishly realizing what she had done, but she didn't care, he had saved her life after all.

"Well then…" Cloud started, "I guess we head North from here, unless Sephiroth was trying to put us off track."

Just then Aeris looked like she had realized something very important she forgot to tell everyone but shock came to her as she felt around her ribbon.

"It… it's gone…"

"What's gone?" Cloud asked looking at her.

"The White Materia."

"What?" Everyone asked, but Vincent of course.

"That's what I came here for, to pray for Holy."

Everyone looked dumbfounded by this point and Aeris began to explain.

"After Cloud gave the Black Materia to Sephiroth," Cloud looked hurt at this and Aeris put a hand on his arm to comfort him, "I knew that the only way to stop Meteor, is with Holy, the opposite of Meteor. But the only way to cast holy is for someone with the white material to speak to the plant, and I knew this was the best place for the planet to be able to hear my prayer, if the prayer is answered the material will begin to glow a pale green, but I can't find, it. It must have fallen from the alter during all of the commotion." Aeris looked defeated, "I'm sorry everyone."

"There is no need to apologize," Cloud said putting his arm around Aeris, "I'm just glad you're safe."

"Well shit," Cid said flicking his cigarette butt away before lighting up another.

"I say we follow Sephiroth for now, there's no proof he's even cast Meteor. We might still be able to stop him." Cloud said looking towards the north.

_Fun…_ Vincent thought to himself, before looking down to hopeful wine colored eyes.

_Well, not like I have anywhere else I'd rather be…_

A/N: There you go folks, the whole idea I based this fic on, trust me it won't be the last update. Any Ideas for how I should write based on the fact that Aeris is alive, would be appreciated, I have my own, but more ideas, equals less of a writer's block. Anyways, until next time.


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